Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Going on vacation and worried about feeding your fish? Here's how to keep them healthy and happy while you are away.

Steps

1. 1 Plan the length of your absence. If you are away for a few days, most fish will go without food. If you are going away for a month, the fish will need food.
2. 2 Understand the risks. Whenever you leave your fish on a trip, there will always be risks involved. If your fish are rare and expensive, make sure you have a proper grooming plan in place. Make sure it is as clear and complete as possible.
3. 3 Plan for what types of fish you have. Different fish have different nutritional requirements. Make sure you know exactly what kind of fish you have.
   • Carnivorous fish require live food and / or pelleted food for predators.
   • Omnivorous Fish: A large number of fish fall into this category. Most of the fish in this group can be fed with plate food purchased from a general store.In lamellar food, the food is enclosed in mineral plates, which gradually dissolve in water over several days. For omnivorous fish with a more limited pelleted and dried diet, use the automatic feeder as described in the section on carnivorous fish.
   • Herbivorous fish: These are fish that feed on plants and vegetables. If you can feed them dried seaweed and vegetables, then use an automatic feeder. If they need to be fed fresh vegetables, then the best option is to have someone come and feed your fish.
4. 4 Know the possible alternatives. There are several ways to feed your fish while you are away.
   1. Buy an automatic feeder and fill the appropriate parts with the correct feed. The trough will automatically empty the feed into the water according to the schedule you program. This method is suitable for fish fed with pelleted and plate food, and not suitable for fish fed with red mosquito larvae and other live food. Lyophilized red larvae are available for use in an auto feeder.
   2. Place fish food of different sizes in the container. It is necessary to put both large and small live food, then predators will eat some part at once, and some later, depending on the size. Do not put live worms in the tank as they will spoil your water.
   3. Ask someone to come and feed your fish. This is the best option, especially if your fish are selective in their food, but be sure that this person has enough time and knows exactly how, when and what to feed your fish.
5. 5 Provide live plants or vegetables. Some fish can put a large pile of vegetables in the tank and eat it for a long time. Even if you don't like zucchini, your fish may like them.
6. 6 Combine these methods to take care of a variety of fish. Two groups of fish can be satisfied, as omnivorous fish eat the food of herbivores and carnivores.
7. 7 Still, if you have different groups of fish in your aquarium with different nutritional needs, the best solution is to call someone who has enough time to properly feed all groups of fish.
8. 8 Cover the aquarium securely. Fish species such as multi-feather eels or spiny eels can pop out of the openings of the aquarium, so make sure there are no openings in the tank for them to escape. If you have a pond and need to prepare it for winter, this is not the best time to leave.
9. 9 Get someone to take care of your fish. Ask around. Sometimes there are services like this at pet stores where you pay to come and feed your fish.
   • This can be dangerous because strangers are gaining access to your home. If you are uncomfortable with bringing strangers into your home, ask a friend or family member to do so.
   1. Always talk about your fish first.
   2. Tell them everything there is to know. Especially how much food should be given to the fish. For reference, be sure to leave the instructions written on the sheet. If you don't find someone to take care of the fish, your best bet is not to leave. If you leave, you are at great risk of losing your fish. The chances are high that she will not survive.
10. 10 Cleanliness in the aquarium. You don't need to worry too much about this. Before leaving on vacation, change the water in the aquarium (within a week before departure). If someone comes to you and feed the fish, make sure that person knows how much to feed and does not pollute your water. Clean the aquarium shortly after you return.
11. 11 Perform water tests upon return. We hope everything went well while you were away. But still check the water for surges of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. You may need to change a lot in the water to get everything back to normal.

Tips

• Try holiday fish feeding methods while you are still at home and can clean up and fix potential problems.This way, you can safely leave knowing that these methods work.
• If you have ponds, make sure they are well guarded. Sometimes natural predators or humans can kill your fish while you are away.
• Try to meet the fish's needs. Some fish are very specific. They need unusual food, varied care. In this case, it is better to find someone who will take care of such a fish.
• Even before introducing fish, you should consider what you will do with them when you go on vacation. It's good to plan ahead.
• Buy an electric timer and set the times at which the lamps are on during the day and when they are off at night. If the lamps are old, replace them before you leave.
• When someone is feeding your fish, try to keep each day's portions in a separate container. Then your fish will not be overfed.
• The ponds will require your attention to the weather. Depending on your pond and the time of year, you may need someone to look after it.
• You can buy specialized slow-dissolving feeds. They gradually release some feed (sometimes they will not release it).

Warnings

• If someone comes to you and looks after the fish, make sure you trust that person 100% before giving the keys. A few dead fish are better than a robbed house.
• Remember: the longer the vacation, the greater the danger to fish. Fish farmers with expensive and selective fish should not leave for more than a week. Two weeks is the maximum.
• One bar of specialized slow-dissolving food will not feed the entire aquarium. For a large aquarium, lay more than one.