Having recently been overseas for a month, I was faced with the question of how will the Fishes fare while I'm not about. Truth be known, they'd probably do ok. I've left them for two weeks, in the past, and come home to some very eager little faces, and a very clean tank !

In this case, the one 'non-fish keeper' I could trust to do exactly as I say, wasn't available. So recruiting a complete 'newby', I decided to go the way of the TV dinner, with all meals pre-prepared.

The little containers seen below, are sold for keeping bits of home-made jewellery kits. Each screws into the base of the next, with a cap for the upper-most container. They make a reasonably good seal, for short-term use. And they're only AU$1.00 for a stack of 7.

My instructions were, feed every two or three days, one container only, per feed. (one in each tank). It worked out fine. Probably remained fresher, than if I'd used an automatic feeder.

Very good idea, as you say will have kept the feed fresher, like you i have left my fish for a couple of days, which i dont think is a problem, as long as they are well fed prior to going away

That is a good idea. I'm leaving for a week to St. Croix in April and was wondering how the fish would get fed. I either A) won't have anybody feed the fish or B) have my friend from down the street (I have his bala shark and 2 of his parrot cichlids) come feed them twice while I'm gone or C) have prepared meals as kana has done here for the house/dog sitter.

Oh, that's a cool idea. I should do something similar next time I go to Finland and my dad has to take care of my pets. Usually I just leave sticky notes on every container of food explaining when to feed, but that can be confusing.

i was thinking of doing similar but with little pre-prepared food bundles wrapped in cling film or tin foil, but the containers look like a convenient way of doing it.

the best thing about this thread for me was i thought i only had two options, fed daily or not fed at all (most well fed fish can survive a couple of weeks fast if need be, i believe). it never occurred to me that someone could feed them every 2 or 3 days or maybe even only twice a week.

in the past this wouldn't have been an option as my pussy cat wouldn't have lasted a day without food, but since his passing, at worst having a friend drop by 2 or 3 times a week and using pre-prepared food parcles etc would work nicely. thanks for the idea