hello all!

I'm going on holiday for a week pretty soon, how long can I leave my 6 month old oscar for without feeding?

Can anyone recommend an auto feeder? (heard some horror stories about these, anyone one with experience of them?)

There will be no-one who would be available to feed him while I'm away either.

Thanks guys

Keir

Good question. You often read about people whose Oscar/s have gone off their food and haven't eaten for well over a week. So that is the case, an Oscar isn't going to starve to death after the first week. Whereas I wouldn't recommend leaving a young Oscar for too long without food, I think he will be okay for a week. Fish can actually go for a few weeks without food.

I've not seen any suitable auto feeders for Oscars, they are normally made for very small community fish. Leaving food in the tank is not a good idea, that will just increase the chances of poor water quality.

Don't worry too much, most living creatures can go without food for a week easily, fish are no different. Just give them a good meal just before you go.

Just make sure he's got plenty to drink

Thanks for that, you've put my mind at ease.

Cheers

Keir

I had a fish that had cloudy eyes and couldnt see. It took me 2 weeks to get him better and he didnt eat in that time. Your oscar will be fine for a week, however he will be hungry when you get back


You can get larger auto-feeders. If your local shop dont stock them ask if they can get a bigger one on order or try the internet. I have never used one however my advice if you do use one, dont practice setting it up on you tank, use a table etc. That way if you make a mistake you wont inadvertainly overfeed and you will be able to see if it works as the food will be on the table. Also once you got the autofeeder up, running and working well make each feed about half normal, that way you wont have any uneaten food floating around

delboybully wrote:


That has got to be the understatement of the century. Watch your fingers, you may lose them when you feed him for the first time

yeah, he's quite a nippy little blighter at the best of times!

Yep, he'll be just fine. Oh, and by auto feeders- did you mean the ones you drop in the tank and they release food? Because OFL i think was reffering to them, and there, like he said, probably not the best idea for Oscars. However, there are automatic feeders that you attach to the side of the tank and they put food in the tank periodicly over a long basis of time- you put it in, and they drop it. Those will work, as long as you put the right kind of food in.

I was referring to the auto-feeders that attach to the side of the tank and drop food in. They have several sections that move round on a timer. When each section gets over the hole in the feeder the food drops in. They would work with pellets if the feeder is big enough


I dont feed my oscars on sundays and they go extra mad on monday- imagine what they would be like after a week without food. One of my local fish shops had a full sized oscar returned to them and they told me they didnt feed him for a week. When they did feed him he ate every block from a pack of bloodworm (the frozen packs with 24 blocks in). That I would of liked to see. I wouldnt have the heart not to feed mine for a week tho

Why not feed him real good. As in give him enough pellets or worms or whatever until he is full and has no more desire to eat. Keep a load of pellets in the tank for 15 minutes. When he will not eat anymore, take the extra out and just before you leave toss in a couple guppies.

I would say he prob won't eat them for a bit; and when he does a minnow should hold him over longer than pellets i would think.