Going on vacation, but what about my betta?

[andyv5]

Good news: I'm going on vacation!

Bad news: I'm leaving for about a week and I'm not sure how my betta fish will fare.

I bought one of those vacation feeders, but after reading a few reviews online I'm skeptical. The automatic feeder I bought dispenses too much food. I'm new to this city and don't know anyone who can take care of him while I'm away. Would y'all recommend I just not feed him for a week?

He's a male betta, fairly young and healthy. In fact, he made a bubble nest right around the Nitrite spike during cycling! He lives in a 5 gallon tank with a moss ball and some java ferns, and the tank is heated to 80 degrees F. I feed him two pellets each morning. I should mention that his tank is in the final stages of said cycling--after a test I did this morning:

pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
NitrITE: 0 ppm
NitrATE: 20 ppm

For fun, I attached a picture of him and his new coconut that he loves. Thank you in advance!

 

[AaronBurr]

When I've messed with the vacation feeders I often come back to a tank in really poor shape, so its good you tested it out beforehand!

I’m not sure if this will work for you, but in my town there are companies that will come and take care of your pets, Be them cats, dogs or fish. They can be a bit pricing but maybe you could have someone come every other day? If you do this I would recommend putting the right amount of food for one feeding in a little baggie and label with the date it should be used. I’ve found even when I friends pet-sit they often over feed.

 

[andyv5]

I didn't even know companies like that existed! Unfortunately, I would rather not have someone I don't know enter my apartment. Could he die if I leave him alone for a week? I'm leaving Friday morning (so I can feed him in the morning) and returning the following Friday afternoon.

 

[AaronBurr]

Hmm. A week seems a bit long to me. I would normally only do 3-4 days. But I have never had betta. Maybe someone with a betta will have a better idea?

 

[subliminalme]

I've read they can go 10+days without feeding but i dunno how accurate that is. I would be wary to go a full week...
Is the feeder one you load manually? Could you maybe only put 2 or 3 pellets in? Do you have time to play around with the auto feeder for a while before the trip?
I wish I could be more help ?

 

[subliminalme]

This says more like 4-7 days. Everything on the internet isn't always so reliable... so idk honestly


https://bettafish.org/care/vacation/

 

[TrueEnvy]

Get your betta nice and fat before you leave and let him fast for the week. I don't trust feeders at all I've heard a lot more horror story's with them rather than just not feeding the fish. Unless you can have a friend pop in sometime in the week I wouldn't worry.

 

[PlatyTetra831]

I have never heard about automatic feeders but at my petco and Walmart they sell this big chunk of fish food that you plop in a tank and it should last fish about a week they just come up and bite it when they are hungry.