Going out of town again

[bluebettafish]

I am going to be out of town again for about 10 days during the first two weeks of December. I have two bettas, one at home and one at work. I'm trying to figure out what to do.

Rocky @ work is in a 3 gallon tank with filter, light, and a heater. My coworker can feed him and do simple water changes so he'll be fine there.

Prince @ home is in a 6 gallon tank with filter, light, and a heater. My roommate can feed him but he doesn't know about water changes and I'm afraid it'll be too much to ask. I'm thinking of putting Prince in my half gallon container and keeping him next to Rocky at work.

Would this stress him out too much? I'm also concerned about the temperature. My coworkers keep their bettas in very small containers and so far they haven't had problems (one is getting sick but he has survived in that condition for 2 years!).

BTW, I'm in Los Angeles and it's never freezing here, but it can get down to 50s at night.

[kelly528]

I would leave him at home. If the 6 gallon is cycled he will definitely hang in for 10 days without too many problems. I kept my betta in a planted 5.5 with weekly 20% pwcs. Even right before his water changes, Ammonia and Nitrites would be 0 and nitrates were only about 5 (They are only harmful at about 40 ppm).

[dramaqueen]

I had someone come in every other day when I was gone for 2 weeks. They didn't get water changes but because they weren't fed every day, twice a day, they were just fine with no water changes. I changed their water as soon as I got home and they were just fine.

[Kim]

What we really need to know is if the tanks are cycled or not. When I go on vacation for a week I have someone that feeds them, but I just do a water change before I leave and again when I come back. My tanks are cycled however, so they never need more than partial weekly water changes anyway.

[AlexXx]

Ive read that bettas will be fine without food for up to 4 weeks! And if they are not eating , they are not producing much waste, so the water will stay cleaner! You should be fine.

I have been gone all weekend (since thrusday afternoon) and will not return till monday.... i hope all my fishies do ok, my DBT was not looking to go when i left, his fin rot wont stop! :( Hope i dont come home to a dead fish! :(

[bluebettafish]

The tanks are not cycled. Could that be done in less than 1 month before I leave?

I found pellets in the 6 gallon when I came home after my last trip. I'm pretty sure my roommate didn't overfeed him. The betta seemed a little stressed? and didn't eat very much for a few days after I came back (he would spit it out or only eat 1 pellet). I usually feed him 2 pellets twice a day.

I'm worried because both of my tanks have that moldy smell. they go away for a little bit after I do water changes but they come back in a few days. In 10 days who knows what could happen!

but still it sounds like the consensus is to leave him in his original home...I think he might do better there, too. He's kinda sensitive LOL I might have questions about cycling later. Thank you for your feedback!

[AlexXx]

cycling should take a bit more than a month, mine did in about 5 weeks! So... your cycling should be complete by then!

[kelly528]

Or you can get mature filter media from a hobbyist in your area. That will cycle your tank instantly.