1 Weeks Vacation....

[Purplely]

We are going on vacation next week and would like suggestions on what to do with Purplely. What do you do with the fish? Is there some slow release food for them?

Thanks for your help!

[Dtld9]

You could get slow release foods, but an automatic feeder would be better. The slow release foods can pollute your tank pretty bad. The automatic feeder will release food at set intevals.

[Flashygrrl]

Test it before you go away though.

[sillypony]

Also, correct me if i'm wrong, but i've read that (with tropical fish anyways) so long as you're only going away a week, you should just not feed. That way there is no need for water changes, no risk of a malfunctioning auto-feeder, or family over feeding your 'poor hungry' fish. Tropical fish in the wild fast for up to two weeks during certain seasons, so a week, or a long weekend, while you're on vacation shouldn't be a problem.


Or at least, thats what i've read in lots of other threads.


LeeAnna

[MattD]

Throw a ghost shrimp in there, he will eat it in time . . .

Slow release blocks are a big no-no, they will compromise the water quality. Feed him well before you leave, change his water, then unless you have an automatic feeder he should be all right.

Bettas are rather resilient. Ages ago my little brother had a betta in the worst little bowl and I could easily have saved it, I'm sure all it needed was a water change. . . that was before I kept fish. Food was also scarcely put into the tank.

Auto-feeders are the best, although one would need to spend upwards of $40 for a good one. I went through 2 crappy ones thinking they would do, returned both. Bought a digital auto feeder for $50.00 and never looked back - too reliable.

Good luck.

[SST]

I never had a problem with the slow release blocks. I use a bit of crushed coral in my tank to raise the ph anyway, so throwing a bit of plaster in there doesn't do anything to my ph. Besides, the calcium in the plaster is good for fishie. When I come back, I just vaccuum any leftovers right out. My water never got gross, but then my tank was 2.5 gal. at the time (now 5 gal.).

I didn't see the size of the tank, so if a 7-day block would cause too much water quality issues, would there be an issue with throwing in a 3-day feeding block for a 7-day trip? The owner will have peace of mind that fishie will have some nutrition while gone.

[Purplely]

thanks for the replies. The pet store said that the live plants I have could also provide food for him. Is this true?

[MattD]

Bettas are primarily carnivores, they will not survive on live plants. I wonder how many cute little betta fishies, or any other specie, have died as a result of this guy's advice.

SST brings up a good point regarding the blocks. Depending on the size, perhaps broken in half or a frag of it at least would work just fine.

[herefishy]

Carniores = meat.

Vegetarian = taters (well, veggies anyway).

Omnivores = meat and taters.

Bettas are, indeed, omnivores.

That is why you should feed your betta peas a couple of times a week. That will keep it from getting constipated. Not being able to poop makes Mr. Betta an unhappy fish.

[Purplely]

So I just returned from the store with 3 day tablets. The 7 day was pretty large for my little tank.

We also just changed the water and the girl at the store suggested frozen bloodworms. She suggested putting a "cube" in now to let Purplely eat over the next day. We are not leaving until Saturday so the thought was that this would "fill him up" a bit and then toss in the tablet for the week It's Thursday evening as I write this).

We will see how it goes. Right now he looks like he is loving the worms. It does look like I am going to have to get them out at some point. As I write this the cube just sank to the bottom of the tank and is starting to really expose the worms. Again, not the nicest looking thing but he is enjoying it. And again, as I write, he is now just sitting next to the mound of worms and has stopped eating. It's almost like he s guarding them......

Now that I look at it again, I think it may be too much. I am going to give it a little more time and then I have to get them out.

Sorry for the play-by play.....I guess too much NCAA basketball today!