[Bettabuddy4]

So, I'm going on a 4 day vacation soon, and I just found out, I'm trying to find someone to take my fish Athena, but I'm not sure if anyone will. My mom's also looking for one of those betta feeders. But, if she can't find one and there's no one to take Athena, will she be okay going for 4 days without food, please note I don't want this, I'm just just going worst case scenario. Please help I don't want to kill my fish.:roll:

 

[sasszsara]

We used these when we went on vacation this winter and they worked well.
http://www.petco.com/product/112622/Penn-Plax-Pro-Balance-7-Day-Betta-Blocks-Fish-Food.aspx

 

[fleetfish]

You won't kill her if you're leaving for only four days. Bettas can survive without food for almost a month! Recently I had to leave for a weekend and my bettas were perky and happy when I got home. What you need to do about a day before you leave is change Athena's water and feed her like you normally do. It's a plus if you have frozen bloodworms or brineshrimp because they'll give her an extra boost of energy, but you don't have to have them, but if you do, you can feed her a few and she'll be fine. Athena should be okay since bettas are such tough little fishies.

 

[earthworm88]

My personal take on this is if you have a smallish tank, it is best to put your betta on a "detox" program (won't make you feel bad if you think of it that way :-D) while you are away for 4 days. I find that finding a sitter (especially one who has no experience taking care of fish) would usually end up feeding more than required, lots of leftovers, and being fed also means waste products ended up in the tank. I think that would give your betta more problem with chemicals spikes in the water than being on detox for a few days. Unless the sitter is willing to change the water for me or I have a huge tank to withstand the above, then I would just do what fleetfish does

JM2C :-D

Cheers!

 

[HermitGuy101]

Try using a ZooMed Bettamatic. They work so well that I own two!

 

[Myates]

For 4 days it's safer and healthier to not use an automatic feeder- as a lot of times they don't work properly and end up fouling the tank, which water quality is more important than feeding for the short while you will be gone.
He won't starve, in fact, increases the chance he will be fine if you don't feed him for the short time, rather then risking (as many many many have done) the feeder dropping in all the food at once and killing the fish.

 

[Bettabuddy4]

Thanks! I feel so much better now, but my mom just created a bigger problem. She got me a new bowl for my betta fish. It's half the size, its 1.8 litres, and her last was at least 1.5 quarts (sorry for the different measurments but I stink at converting). My betta is now completly stressed out, won't eat and is zooming around the tank. My mom's making me feel guilty by saying it was a Valentines Day present, and whenever I try to argue with her about it, she keeps getting mad at me, accusing me, and telling me a bunch of poop my last betta lived for 2 years with less than once a month water changes, it will help keep her water warmer, I wanted a light (I wanted a heater), and I won't be able to exchange it. Please help me, I'm really frustrated.

 

[kfryman]

What do you mean by her last?

Couldn't you just put him back in the old tank or bowl?

 

[kfish]

Motherly guilt trips are the best, aren't they?

With regard to the feeding issue, in a bowl that small, you're definitely better off having the fish go completely without food while you're gone so there's less ... stuff to foul up the tank.

I've left a fish in a 0.5 gallon for 4 days without food (and water changes) and he was fine... so were the water parameters.

BUT while you're there and feeding your betta, definitely change the water at least every other day. I did 50% one day, 100% the next day- every day changes. Then I got my 5 gallon after about a month of that. See if you can convince your mom that bettas can't live in a tiny container. Maybe she'll let you exchange the new bowl for this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium-Kit-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/14660258

 

[mathkid]

Aw. Maybe you can tell her you really appreciate the present and it'll be useful as a QT / interim during water changes, but point her at a betta care fact sheet. Some fish, like your last one, are *super* hardy and will survive in a 1/2 gal for 2 years without water changes, but some won't.... and she wouldn't want to take chances with your little buddy, would she?

 

[Bombalurina]

I left my sorority for 5.5 days without feeding them and everyone was fine when I got back. It won't hurt him.

+1 to Mathkid's suggestions. However, if a quart is a quarter of a US gallon, that's roughly 1 litre...so there isn't that much of a volume difference between the two bowls...both are seriously small, though. Maybe ask for a bigger one for a birthday?

 

[Bettabuddy4]

@kfryman like kfish said, mother guiltrips are the worst, and by her last I mean the one before the 1.8 litre one.
@kfish yes, mother guiltrips are the best, they know your exact weakness, mine being liking to please my family, and thanks for the water changing idea, I've been trying to changfe as often as I can, put sadly enough, in her small tank it only seems to happen once a week.
@mathkid she doesn't really care about my betta, she didn't get her, she was a present from a moving friend, and I think she'd like to see me care a little less about my fish.
@Bombalurina Yeah, both are seriously small, I'm trying to get a new and bigger bowl, I did put the bowl I want, specifically the bowl I want so there are no more misunderstandings.

 

[Aus]

If you are asking for a larger bowl, why not a tank? Tanks have a larger surface area, and don't distort the view both ways. Or a Kritter Keeper, which are not expensive. Since those are pretty cheap, you could maybe ask for a heater, to go with it... I think I've seen people quote $US12.00 for a small, adjustable heater here.

 

[daniomania]

How many gallons was your last tank? where did she put the old tank? i say just find it or buy anew one with a heater and filter. the AQUEON BETTABOW. 2.5 GALLON is the bets. it comes with a heater and filter and its only about 30.00 maximin.. Iwould spend money n my fish than let it be stressed in its new home.....it may die if you leave it stressed
good luck!!!
p.s. petsmart has them! they are good!(fish tnak)

 

[Bettabuddy4]

I was thinking about getting the Hawkeye 5 gallon tank aquarium and the Hydor mini heater.The filter on the Hawkeye would need to be baffled but I found out how to do that. My last tank size was 1.5 quarts, byt the current one is the Tetra Desktop aquarium bowl thing. I would buy all the things I want, except I'm broke and I won't be making any money anytime soon, as I am paying about 100 a month and thats how much I make. (Sorry for the rambling post)

 

[kfish]

I was thinking about getting the Hawkeye 5 gallon tank aquarium and the Hydor mini heater.The filter on the Hawkeye would need to be baffled but I found out how to do that. My last tank size was 1.5 quarts, byt the current one is the Tetra Desktop aquarium bowl thing. I would buy all the things I want, except I'm broke and I won't be making any money anytime soon, as I am paying about 100 a month and thats how much I make. (Sorry for the rambling post)

I have the Hawkeye with Hydor Theo 25W heater... it's a GREAT heater. Cheap on Amazon, too. And it works in a 10 gallon tank as well, in case you ever upgrade. It's in my 10 gallon currently since that heater died.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-THEO-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[registereduser]

The parents of many of the kids on this board really baffle me and even make me mad!

Seriously! Thank the gods above that your kid is kind, compassionate and focused on something besides themselves and MTV. :roll:

 

[Aus]

^ +1 that

 

[pasoindy]

The parents of many of the kids on this board really baffle me and even make me mad!

Seriously! Thank the gods above that your kid is kind, compassionate and focused on something besides themselves and MTV. :roll:

^^
I'm well past living in my parents house, but my mother still thinks my animals (other than my dog) are "silly" - and that even includes my horse. However, I had many pets growing up, and my mom and dad made sure that if I was responsible for an animal, it was my duty to make sure that animal was well taken care of. I don't understand these parents actively sabotaging their kid's efforts to improve a pet's life.

 

[Bettabuddy4]

Thanks registereduser and Aus, and I don't get it either, my parents have taught me to be open-minded and caring, but they refuse to learn about proper care of bettas and stop being cruel to my poor fish.
@pasoindy, I don't think that they really realize that they are sabotaging, I just think that they don't understand and don't want to find out that everything they hav learned is not true, or they just don't care.
@kfish, do you know if they sell that heater at any stores, I try to avoid buying breakable products online, since they tend to end up broken when they arrive.