how to feed your fish while you are away

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Are you traveling for the holidays or planning to go on a vacation soon? What will you do with your fish while youre away? Fortunately, there are several easy options to feed your fish during holiday and vacation periods: you can find a fish sitter; use commercial vacation feeders available through your fish store; or you can purchase an automatic fish feeder, which can be used on a daily basis anyway. A final option is to simply let your fish go unfed while you are gone. (Before you faint at that option, read on!)

Preparing Your Fish Tank Before You Leave

Whichever option you select, think about doing these things in advance of your trip.

Vacation Feeders

The simplest option for feeding is to use vacation feeders. They are available in 2-day (weekend), 7-day, and 14-day sizes. There are two main varieties: one in which the meal is contained in a calcium block, and the other in which the meal is contained in a gel. In every instance, the block slowly dissolves in the water, releasing particles of food that the fish can consume. Feeder blocks have several benefits, including:

  • feeds your fish for up to 14 days while you are away.
  • The calcium block dissolves slowly and releases food on occasion as it does so (though it dissolves more quickly in soft, acidic water than in hard, basic water).
  • contains natural components to satisfy every aquarium fish’s nutritional needs.
  • Use only in filtered or aerated aquariums; water circulation is necessary to dissolve the block; do not use in fish bowls.
  • Because the gel blocks don’t cloud water and don’t contain plaster, they might function better in some water conditions.

A sufficient number of blocks should be used in the aquarium to accommodate all of the fish. For the duration of your absence, it is preferable to underfeed the fish rather than overfeed them. Using the larger calcium blocks can affect the chemistry of the aquarium’s water, particularly in soft water situations. While some claim their fish won’t eat the gel feeders, others claim they are less likely to alter the water’s quality.

Hire an Experienced Fish Feeder/Pro Fish Sitter

Hiring a professional pet sitter with fish experience is one option to consider. This way, you can feel secure knowing that your aquatic friends are being looked after by an experienced fish enthusiast. This is particularly useful if you own a saltwater fish tank, which calls for the use of specialized equipment that could be difficult for a beginner to operate.

The greatest thing that you can do while on vacation, in Dr. Sanders, even if you don’t intend to feed your fish, you should hire a fish sitter to come check on your tank. “This manner, in the event of an issue, they can notify you that things are a little off before they get worse,” Dr. Sanders tells Chewy.

Ask for a recommendation from your local fish supply store or veterinarian to locate an expert. Fish care is an additional service that some pet sitting companies provide. Here are some examples:

If you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, “you’ll need a water change, or an automatic feeder would run out of food,” Dr. Rosenbloom says.

“Instruct them to visit every alternate day, every few days, or every day if feasible,” Dr. Sanders adds. It’s equivalent to having your neighbor watch your dog or cat. ”.

FAQ

How do you feed fish when you are away?

Fortunately, there are several easy options to feed your fish during holiday and vacation periods: you can find a fish sitter; use commercial vacation feeders available through your fish store; or you can purchase an automatic fish feeder, which can be used on a daily basis anyway.

How long can fish go without being fed?

In general, most fish can go three days to two weeks without food, but you shouldn’t assume that your fish can go that long without having a caretaker there while you’re away. Luckily, fish are fairly easy to care for, so whether you’re away for a long weekend or a month, there are ways to ensure they’re fed enough.

Can fish be left alone for a week?

Food is the biggest factor when determining how long you can leave a fish home alone. Depending on the type of fish, how many fish you own and the size of the tank, you can leave your pet fish alone for two to seven days.

How do I leave fish for a month?

Do a water change before you leave, then simply ask someone to come feed and check on your fish while you’re gone. A 36 is fine with once a month, small changes, so as long as someone is feeding, checking for dead fish, and removing any as they occur, you should be fine. Buy a fish feeder with timer.