How to Feed Fish on Vacation / Holiday

Feeding Fish on Vacation

Preparing the aquarium

Do a normal sized water change the day before you leave; don’t be tempted to do a huge water change larger than your normal amount as this may disrupt your aquarium water chemistry.

Leave algae growth in your aquarium until after you return. Many fish will actually feed on algae on your aquarium plants, glass or ornaments when they do not receive food regularly. By not cleaning your aquarium algae too thoroughly before going on vacation, you can provide a much needed food source for your fish whilst you are away.
Preparing the Filter

Do any filter maintenance no closer than a week before you leave to give your filter bacteria a chance to recover.

Filter maintenance can kill off good bacteria; if an overly aggressive cleaning is done, it may kill off too much of the ammonia reducing bacteria in you filter and cause an ammonia spike when you go away.
Preparing the Fish

Many people get tempted to overfeed their fish before they go on vacation. Doing this may cause an ammonia spike and poor water quality. Feed your fish normally up until you leave.

Make sure all your fish are getting along. Any aggression between fish will increase when food is scarce. If your fish are bickering, try to split them up before you leave if possible.

Make sure your fish are healthy and free from disease. Any illness may get worse whilst you are away as a fishes immune system will get weaker when they haven’t eaten for a while. A dead fish can cause an ammonia spike and possibly wipe out the entire aquarium.

Feeding Fish on Vacation

Vacation for 1-3 days

All healthy fish will be fine to be left without food for up to three days. This length of time without food presents no danger to any fish.

Vacation for 4-7 days

If you are going for a week most fish medium to large fish of three inches or larger will be fine without any food. Small fish (tetra size and below) are less resistant and you may need a friend to feed them using pre measured amounts that you leave for them. An auto feeder is also a great choice to give your fish food whilst away.

Vacation for over 7 days

For one week or over, only the largest fish such as large cichlids will be able to cope without food. For these lengths of time, having somebody come round to feed your fish or using an auto feeder is necessary.


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