Fish during vacation- fry too.....

[CraigMac]

I'll be on vacation for 10 days. I have 3 tanks. The main tank with my adults I'm not worried about, ten days without food shouldn't be an issue. I'll do a water change the day before I leave. Will it be ok to just unplug my lights and leave them in the dark?

Next I have a fry grow out tank but it only has 6 acei fry that are just about big enough to go in the main tank...... Will they be ok without food?

Finally, I have a 10 gallon with 2 week old Kenyi fry. They are fed several times per day..... If I don't have someone who can come feed them , what are m options? I have hear from auto feeders to "there are enough microorganisms that they will be fine".....any experience with fry during vacation?

 

[bcurlacher54]

i plan to just have my tank take care of itself while im on vacation. ive read allover the net that this is the safest way to go. too many horror stories about friends messing up tanks for me. water change, no food and lights out for 7 days. does your room not get any natural light during the day? my fish wake up with the slightest sign of sun light in the morning.

 

[CraigMac]

My only concern with the tank taking care of itself is my fry tank, from what I understand they NEED to eat everyday, whereas adults can go weeks without food. I'm concerned all of my fry will die

 

[meegosh]

If you cannot get a sitter or do not trust the sitter. You could try an autofeeder. Those can fail and dose way too much though. Especially smaller fry food.

It sounds sick but only one fish will die from hunger, the rest will eat that one.

 

[CraigMac]

That's true about them eatin the first one to go! I may have to try one of those feeders although I have heard horror stories. I just don't know what else to do

 

[bcurlacher54]

is there deco or substrate in the tanks. if so they should be able to eat off of the tank for the week like the adults would. atleast i think the older acei juvies could make it

 

[CraigMac]

No, I left the fry tanks without substrate for easier cleanings and water changes......now I'm regretting it! The only deco are a couple of small cichlid stones.

 

[jetajockey]

I'd go with the autofeeder option, just use very minute amounts. Depending on how small they are, a greenwater algae/infusoria culture would work if they were teeny tiny. Leaving the lights on the entire time would help culture growth, but you could come home to pea soup and a big algae issue lol.

 

[CraigMac]

They are teeny tiny! Is that just a plant that I could buy at a LFS?

 

[jetajockey]

A Primer on Live Food Cultures - Aquarium Advice

 

[Oceangirl]

Plants that are good for fry are Anacharis and Hornwort. I have 3 molly fry that are eating their fill of anacharis. They love eating the plant. my fry are about 2 weeks old as well. I keep my fry tank bare, no decor just plants. I also use java moss in there, it catches food and they enjoy picking at it. I heard Hornwort is good for fry tanks, perhaps it may help you. I don't know alot about cichlids, But If I was you. I would spread food in the bottom of the tank and hide some in some plants. It encourages foraging and I think they would be okay. I feed my molly fry once a day, and hide the food a little. gives them something to do. I may not know much but, if you hide it they will look for it.

 

[CraigMac]

I'll have to look into theses, thanks.

 

[jpsam]

I was away for two weeks and I used a gel like "feeder". Drop in tank, does not self dissolve so the fish have to pick at it. Safe for chichlids. Put in my small tank too for my kenyi baby an he was fine.

 

[CraigMac]

Great, where can I find the gel-like feeders?

 

[jpsam]

Great, where can I find the gel-like feeders?

WALMART, PETSMART. I got mine at Walmart had two different sizes. Has a feeding guide on the back to help you decide how many you need based on tank, # and size of fish.