i will be out of town for a week and have nobody to feed my oscar. will he be ok?

Can't you take him with you?

Seriously, a week is a bit long for your O to be alone. With the water changes, feeding, etc.
You need to consider getting someone to house-sit or watch for your O at least once in 3 days.

hi Jessica, welcome to the site...one week without someone attending your fish
is not a problem provided you have the following criteria:
1) good tank size - because small tank could easily accumulate bioloads.
2) how many fish? - over stock tank have more bioloads
3) filtration should be adequate.

you can gauge the time elements the way you maintain the tank.
how long does it take before water change. less feeding can prolong
duration before water change.

paul has u covered, welcome to the site

Your oscar will be ok for a week but he will be VERY VERY hungry when you get back.

Do a large water change 3 days before you go away and then another large water change the day before you go.


You can buy auto feeders, tropical ones are quite small so try the pond ones. If you get one set it up to feed a small amount once a day

I like the idea of the auto-feeders. I've seen several from battery operated to airpump operated.

does anyone have recommendations of a good brand they have found reliable?

www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/fish-supp...eders/ps/c/3578/4430

i have one oscar about 6 inches one pleco 3 inches and another pleco 7 inches in a 55 gallon tank. will be getting a larger tank soon but dont have the funds for it now. my neighbor just gave me the tank and all 3 fish as she was moving and didnt want to stress them over the long move. so i dont really know much about them yet but have been reading up on them. i dont know anyone here besides my boss and he will be out of town the whole week too. i am worried about leaving him for that long but the only reason im taking vacation is i have another job that needs to be done thru my own business and with my boss being gone this is my only chance. i will do the water changes and feed him before i leave and right when i get back. thank u all for the advice and the welcome to the site.

I did what delboybully suggested, before we left for a 9 day vacation. Massive water change several days before, and then another one the day before we left. BUT I had someone staying at the house all the same. And I think he overfed my fish....the tank was DISGUSTING when I came home, but my fish were alive and well. =D

I hate it when people overfed my fish. I was away for like 60 hours from very clear water it turn into cloudy water. and lots of uneaten food floating when I got back. It is best to hide all your fish food when you leave. LOL
I did have an idea get a bunch of feeder fish quarantine them and put them with your Oscar, they'll eat them when they're hungry.

When you are away and someone is feeding your fish its a good idea to measure out food and put it in a container with the day labelled on it. Then hide the rest of the food and tell the person who is feeding the fish that the are on short rations (even if they are not) and they must not go buy any more food and they will be fine. Otherwise you will come back to bad water and a well meaning friend saying "they were still hungry so i fed them more"

Oscar will always be hungry
even they looks full they'll still act hungry

delboybully wrote:

x2, good point.