Device that can feed my aquarium fish while I was on holiday?

Question

Is there any device(s) that can feed aquarium fish while we were on holiday. Respond needed. Thank you.

Answer 1

Fish rarely take vacations, but fish owners certainly do. While the fish may not be upset if they don’t get a postcard from you while you’re away, they will have some concerns about the source of their daily bread.

It’s true that most fish can miss a meal without being in any danger. Determining how concerned you should be about being away from home for an extended time period depends on factors such as the general health of the fish; the size of the aquarium; the ratio of fish to water; the type of fish; the type of food that they require and of course the length of the time you plan to be out playing hooky. As a tip, you may want to lower the aquarium temperature by two or three degrees to reduce fish metabolism and appetite.

In a healthy, well-filtered aquarium with normally well-fed tropical fish, you could actually go several days between feeding sessions without any long-term effects on fish health. After all, in nature there’s no regular feeding, so many of these fish must do without food for similar time periods as a matter of regular life.

If you’re going to be away for more than a few days or if you just want the peace of mind of knowing that your fish do not experience a break in their routine, a good alternative is to employ a mechanical, timed fish-feeding device. (A live person is the best choice for a substitute fish feeder, but harder to purchase.) These battery-operated devices contain compartments for storing up to a couple of weeks of dry food that is dispersed into the aquarium in controlled amounts by a built-in timer that moves the feeding compartments into position at user-designated intervals.

There is another option of using a sinking tablet called "slow release pellets" that are available in almost all pet shops, and are shaped like capsules, that releases little bits of fish flakes when wet, and can be used for feeding small fishes while you are away.

Whether you leave a friend or family member in charge of fish feeding, or you utilize a mechanical device, or use a vacation feeder, make sure you do no overfeed in “compensation” for your absence. Though it may seem to ease your guilt, normal feeding will always make for healthier and ultimately happier fish.

This link will help you to decide:
http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/automatic-fish-feeders.asp#product536

Answer 2

It depends on how long you are going to be gone. Healthy fish can easily go a week without being fed. If you're going to be gone for a week or less, feed the a normal amount before you leave and they will be fine. You will probably come home to a very clean tank as they will scavenge for every morsel of food available but will definitely not starve. Fish in the wild definitely don't have someone feeding them every day.

If you feel that they have to be fed, find someone you trust and get them to do it but don't leave the amount to feed up to them. Decide how often they will feed them (every day, every other day). Put small cups/containers on top of the tank with the proper amount already in each one so all they have to do is pour the contents of the cup in. And hide the food so they can't decide to feed extra because what you have measured out doesn't look like enough to them. That way you don't come back to a filthy tank with terribly over-fed fish.

Whatever you do, don't use the dissolving feeder things you drop in the tank. They are only about 2% food and the rest is the junk that holds them together and dissolves to release the food. You will come home to filthy tank and fish that still haven't been fed much.

There is one other advantage to not feeding them while you're gone. If by chance, the filter happens to malfunction and stop working, there won't be any old food to decay and produce ammonia and since the fish aren't eating, they will only produce a minimal amount of waste and ammonia so you won't come home to a tank with ammonia levels off the chart.

Answer 3

You don't mention any are fry, so I'll assume all are adult or close to it. Your fish sound not only overfed, but constipated from the amount of food they got. Since you've already waited two days, it would be okay to go ahead and feed them a normal -sized meal. If they've still got the long, stringy poo, try feeding them some cooked peas with the skin off - the extra fiber will help with their constipation. PS - Next vacation, get snack-sized ziplock bags and make prepackaged meals and date them - keep them in the fridge so they stay fresh. Then hide the rest of the food. Best way there is to prevent "well intentioned fishsitters" from overfeeding. ;)

Answer 4

the answerer above is right they have food in plaster that you can buy that will feed your fish for up to about ten days but i dont reccomend these because they leave quite a mess. i think tetramin just came out with a new gel one of those. you could try that. have a nice holiday
;-]

Answer 5

Its best to just put food in a pill organizer and have a friend come in every few days. Because those vacation feeder blocks will mess with your water and a automatic feeder can malfunction. If you are gone less that a week, they will be fine without food

Answer 6

Don't bother if you are gone less than 2 weeks. There is nobody there to monitor the water conditions. Its best to fast the fish than to kill them by having a buildup of toxins in the water.

Answer 7

Well, there are a variety of stuff:
1.you can get a white block with bits of food in it.i dunno thier name, but go to the pet shop.they should know . but these types only go up to a maximum of around 5-10 days.only good for tanks under about70 gallons.

2.another option is a device that feeds your fish twice a day. i've only heard of it, and they could be expensive.also you need to test it before you do this one. available at good pet stores.

3. the last option i know is only for fish wich eat worms.it's a cone thingy that holds worms, which eventually slowly come out. again, you may need to test this one.

If you have adult guppies they can survive 14days without food, but i would give em a little extra on the last day.