Bettas on a month long vacation?

[goldfish1212]

Hi, so I'm going on a month long vacation and can't get anyone to take care of my bettas for me. They are two males living in a divided 10 and I've decided the best thing seems to be to ship my extra filter with the cycled media, heater, fish food, and divider along with my fish by usps express the day I leave to my family's house where I will be staying.
My tank at home has live plants and snails that should be fine with the second filter and light on a timer while I'm gone.
Don't ask why I'm running two filters on a 10 gallon betta tank, I know it's stupid and it's a long story I've baffled both so they are low flow.
I know my family already has a barely used empty ten gallon, water conditioner, a gravel vac, gravel, and some plastic hiding places from an ill fated fair goldfish a few years ago so I feel like i can set up a temporary tank with my stuff I'll send.
I'm concerned mostly because when I went on a 5 day vacation before and left the dissolving food tablets and the light on a timer, i came back and they both had ripped fins and looked pale, limp, and noticeably skinner and wouldn't come to me at the front of the tank like usual for two days. I'm not leaving them alone for a month.

My questions now are
1. Does this seem like it's an ok plan?
2. Where would I get fish shipping bags that don't come in packs of a hundred? Where can I get a few hot packs since it's too cold for bettas without them?
3. How would I pack and ship filter media and betta fish best?
4.Any other advice?

I know they are "only" Petco bettas but I've become so attached to my little fish I want to care for them right.

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[henningc]

I'd heavy feed them for 2-3 weeks with high protein fatty foods and they will be fine until you get back. Trust me, it won't hurt them.

 

[goldfish1212]

Ok, that seems much easier. I'll try that

 

[fish girl 101]

If you can save the cups the fish came in you can take them with you but if you didn't try an automatic feeder


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[trennamw]

Check with the airline about carry on? There are many exceptions to the 4oz fluid policy. I've flown with liters of soy milk quite often in recent years.

My guess would be you could put them in a sealable bottle, that you can open for tsa. TSA asks you to open it and let them wave something over it sometimes but a live fish swimming around also indicates it's not flammable.

I'd also check a local dog kennel and ask if you can drop off the tank for a week.


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[dcutl002]

If those fish are not fed for a whole month they will be dead when you get back. They will last about 5-7 days without food tops. Either carry them with you or ship them quickly to your destination.



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[goldfish1212]

Ok, I'll check out the carry on policy at my airport and airline. If that doesn't work I'll ship them.

 

[dcutl002]

Yeah. You may ask a friend that you can trust.



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[goldfish1212]

That's the problem, there is literally no one I trust here to not kill my fish that is not leaving the dorms for winter break as well. I swear unless you have some fancy expensive foot long creature they've never heard of people just treat fish like pointless disposable hassles. I looked it up and for future reference Delta does not allow any live fish as baggage. I think I'm just going to stick with shipping them.

 

[goldfish1212]

Anyone have advice on how best to ship bettas? I was thinking getting some of those breathable shipping bags and packing them with a bunch of newspaper and bubble wrap and a couple of heat packs and shipping express. Probably put the filter media that's cycled in a third bag and ship with the fish too. Does that sound reasonable?

 

[dcutl002]

Look it up on YouTube. I believe that I have seen videos on that topic.



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[Rivers2k]

What about putting it in a container in your luggage. Wouldn't get bounced around any more than if it was shipped.

Anyone else picturing Bill Murray from What about Bob with the goldfish in a mason jar around his neck? lol

 

[SFAquariums1]

Your betta will last much longer than 5-7 days without food. I feed mine every 2 weeks with a custom high protein food and he's a very healthy male. He's actually currently breeding with one of my crown tail females. Don't stress the feeding for the vacation. My biggest thing is water level. Winter months (depending where you are) are very dry so water evaporates quickly. I made a diy auto top off with a 5 gallon bucket and it keeps the 3 tanks it's hooked too topped off for 4 weeks!


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[Brookster123]

^^^If it's a dorm they may knock the heat down to just above freezing for pipes sake..

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[goldfish1212]

Your betta will last much longer than 5-7 days without food. I feed mine every 2 weeks with a custom high protein food and he's a very healthy male. He's actually currently breeding with one of my crown tail females. Don't stress the feeding for the vacation. My biggest thing is water level. Winter months (depending where you are) are very dry so water evaporates quickly. I made a diy auto top off with a 5 gallon bucket and it keeps the 3 tanks it's hooked too topped off for 4 weeks!


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You feed him every 2 weeks? Are you sure your male isn't finding something else to eat in the tank?

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[goldfish1212]

I like the idea of maybe sticking them securely in my checked bag and I can add a heater pack, I'll look it up. I just don't want to risk them dying while I'm gone.

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[ppo8820]

They could be from the sewer and that wouldnt make them any less important in my eyes. I love all living things, and I suspect you do too. If you want to take them with that is fine, but it would be stressful. Could you purchase an automatic feeder? Then you could set it to feed a very small amount like once every few days so the nitrates dont build up. Luckily you have live plants so they can help with that.

Are you driving or flying to your vacation destination? If possible you may skip shipping and just pack them like they would in a shipment and carry them with you. I know this would make me feel safer as you never know how those postal folks treat packages.

 

[ppo8820]

2 weeks? That is horrible.

 

[goldfish1212]

I have some of those dissolve blocks but last time I used them my fish seemed kind of ill when I came back. I heard about those automatic feeders but I've also seen a lot of people post they were unreliable so I didn't know why to do? Also I wasn't sure if even with the heater in the tank if the radiator is turned off for the 3 and a half weeks I'll be gone it will stay warm enough? Do you think I could trust an auto feeder and the heater? That might be better if I don't have to stress the fish with a day of travel, I'll be flying home and going through two connecting flights.

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[1998golfer]

If those fish are not fed for a whole month they will be dead when you get back. They will last about 5-7 days without food tops. Either carry them with you or ship them quickly to your destination.



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A friend of mine recently informed me that she had failed to buy fish food. For a month after it ran out... She bought some more fish food today, and they are still alive O.O 5 goldfish.