going on vacation

[m.parker]

ill be going on vacation for about a week, and i am not sure what to do about feeding...

do i get an auto feeder, if so which one? ( i think i like this one, http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...1789/cl0/currentusaaquachefaquariumfishfeeder )
or do i get one of thoes 7 day cubes?

and now the kicker, my silly molly just started having babies... grrr so they are in a differant tank then the main tank... how do i feed her and her baby...

 

[Sicklid]

Stay away from those 7 day cubes, they do little... the auto feeder is the way to go... I would say to get 2 if you plan on doing a separate tank for the fry, but in that one you should crush the flake up very, very finely. I am wondering though, if the mother would eat the fry if she is not getting enough food from the auto feeder. Maybe pull the mother out once she is done spawning.

I always leave my fry in the main tank to feed on the microorganisms that are present. I feel quarantine tanks have nothing as far as established food sources for fry, and you must be there to feed the little guys several times a day with specialized fry food (like finely crushed flake) unless you can put in a very well established sponge filter with critters crawling all over it. If it is not an option for you, and you really must separate them, maybe someone can chime in with their experience with such situations.

 

[theotheragentm]

Always test your feeder first. They tend to grab quite a bit of food depending on what you have in the feeder unless you have one of those that is partitioned out by day.

 

[7Enigma]

Any way to get someone to feed the main tank even ONCE while you're gone? 7 days should be fine but that's on the virge of possible problems if fish start to get aggressive with each other (mine tend to get quite nippy when not fed regularly). The feeder cubes definitely do more harm than good, and the autofeeders as mentioned tend to put in more than you want.

If you go the autofeeder route set the feeding rate to 1/2 your normal amount (or if you can set it, only once every other day). Less food = less waste = less ammonia produced, as well as the off chance the feeder gives too much you don't want them all to die from poisoning.

If you can get someone to feed the tank just once, portion out what you want them to give (VERY IMPORTANT) and rest easy knowing your fish will be hungry (but happy) to see you back.

And no matter what, do a LARGE PWC when you get home.

I can't comment on the fry, but my guess would be you are probably in for some losses.

HTH