Leaving town

[Jarred Darque]

I am headed out of town fora week.

I have a 75 gallon w/ 2 medium bichirs, 6 and 5 inches, 3 small ones, 2.5 inches, 1 6 inch striped raphael, 1 3 inch spotted raphael, 1 3.5 inch pictus, 1 3 inch bristlenose, 1 7 inch common pleco, 1 black neon tetra, 1 african buterfly fish, 1 4.5 inch red-fin shark.

I am wondering if I need to do anything to get them ready for a week without food, mainly to keep predation out of hte mix for the 3 smaller Polypterus Senegalus. I am thinking that if I target feed the two larger bichirs 1-2 decent sized silversides, maybe they will be sated at least the first part of the week, and wont cause problems?

 

[Idealconcepts]

Jarred Darque - do your fish eat pellets? If they do or don't (this might force to eat pellets if nothing else is available) you might want to get an automatic feeder if you will be gone for more than 2-3 days. I would do a 50% water change the night before (early eveing to make sure everything is ok after the water change) and use a automatic feeder. The black neon might end up a snack for one of the birchers.

 

[JulieB]

An automatic feeder might be a wise investment. I have heard stories of them over-feeding, but that has not been my experience. OR, do you have a neighbor or a friend who could come over and feed them?

 

[neilanh]

No friends/family you could train and keep an eye on things for you?

 

[theotheragentm]

I saw my friend set up his automatic feeder. Then afterwards, I was scooping out lots of flake food. It overfed the tank. Placing pellets into the feeder might actually work out better than flakes.