Vacation care for your fish

Fish are the easiest pet to take care of because they do not need to be trained. They also
do not run around your house and cause havoc littering the place. But, when you plan to
go on a vacation, there are certain measures that you have to take to keep your aquarium
healthy and safe until you get back.
Change your water a few days before you leave. Never change the water just before you
leave. That way, you will be around till the fish get acclimatized to the new water. It is
better not to rely on well meaning friends when you need your aquarium taken care of.
Most people do not know how much to feed, and end up feeding more than what is
needed. Uneaten food will add to the toxicity of your aquarium and you will not be
around to change the water. Never give into the compulsion of giving your fish one lastextra feed, or one last live feed before you go. Most probably, this last 'extra' meal will be
uneaten and will later foul up the water.
The cheapest way to feed your fish while you are away is Time-Release Blocks. These
are bars of food that slowly dissolve or are fed upon by the fish. These kinds of bars are
however best suited for fish like Tetras that will eat almost anything with gusto. In an
aquarium that has territorial fish, the dominant fish will eat up this bar and the others will
be kept away from the bar. It should also be noted that quite a few aquarists have hade
bad experience with these blocks. It is therefore recommended to try the bars when you
are still at home and can monitor your fish behavior and interfere. Do not rely on bars
until you know that they are suitable for your particular aquarium.
Another better but more expensive option is mechanical feeders. Most feeders are
designed to feed granular food and flake food. The timing mechanism can be set so that
the fish are feed on the times you decide, and the amount you decide. Don’t forget to
adjust the portion size so it suits your aquarium.
It is important to set your thermostat to optimum temperature when you go away. A
closed up home in a hot area can become an oven for the fish. Many people will return
from vacations to find that their fish have 'boiled' to death. Another precaution is to desist
from adding new fish just before you go. Postpone this till after you return. Adding in
new fish a few days before you go is begging for trouble. Any diseases that come in with
the new fish will spread throughout your aquarium and you will not be there to treat your
fish during the early stages