Fish to use as live food / food buffer

[fishscale]

I am only going to be coming to my apartment periodically this summer (maybe once every 3-4 weeks), so I fully expect my plants to be destroyed (which is ok, since I am starting over on a new larger tank in the fall), but I don't want to kill my fish. I have thought about asking some people to come in and feed the tank, but I have a hard time finding someone I would trust not to overfeed. Thus, I want to have someone come in only once in a while, and to have something in the tank the fish can eat. I have RCS in the tank (a good deal of them, from my shrimp tank), and I was thinking, what kind of fish are the most prolific fry producers useful for food?

I was thinking guppies, but maybe something else would work even better.

[crazie.eddie]

What other fish are in the tank?

The RCS babies should also provide some food.

How about an auto-feeder?

[aznkonner]

well i don't think anything will be breeding much if it's going to be eaten right away. but guppies and mollies are the only things i can think of that reproduce quickly. what kind of fish are you trying to feed? maybe a food block would be a better idea? or like crazie.eddie pointed out this might be a good time to invest in an auto feeder.

[joy613]

If you are worried about overfeeding get some of those pill a day things and put the food in each little compartment. That way when someone comes in they can feed them and the food will be per measured.

[Riley]

I would suggest an auto feeder also. Then when you come back in the fall...you can use the auto feeder to dose ferts!

[epicfish]

Auto feeders are notorious for overdosing your tank.

I have left my tanks alone for 3-5 weeks at a time and they're fine.

[fishscale]

I've gone 5 weeks, but I am uncomfortable going 4 or 5 weeks away, coming back for a weekend, and then leaving again. I have also heard the same thing about auto feeders, which is why I am wary about using them. I am only trying to feed diamond tetras, so adult RCS and guppies would not be eaten. At least, as far as I can tell. My diamond tetras suddenly became predators when I moved them from a small tank to a larger tank.

Vacation blocks and such are fine for shorter amounts of time, but I won't be here most of the summer, except for maybe once a month or so. I will probably end up entrusting the tank to someone who will hopefully not do things wrong, but that is really a big if. Why do people insist that your fish are hungry and try to feed half the container?? Ridiculous.

Edit: I would already be using pre-measured bags of food. This has failed in the past when people decide to ignore your instructions.

[crazie.eddie]

I've never heard any horror stories with auto feeders. I know allot of discus breeders use Eheim Auto Feeders.

As far as those vacation feeder block things, I have read those can mess up the water.

[Kayakbabe]

I've never heard any horror stories with auto feeders either. I have heard of human error in setting up autofeeders... and dispensing too much food. LOL.
I've used one on my 120 gallon tank now for 2 years. Love it, would not do without it.

Just set it for much less food that you think they need. If they can't eat it in 3-5 minutes.. it's too much food. Set it for once a day ... they will be fine with that too.

Then you don't have to worry about a friend being too 'friendly' and thinking the fish 'looked hungry' so I fed them more syndrome. All they have to do is fill up the auto feeder for you. Or if you are going to come home every 4-5 weeks. Fill it up yourself.. and let them go without food for the last week or so (if that is what will happen). Periods without food and changing availablilty of the food supply is a pretty normal scenario in the wild anyway, and might even make your fish more colorful or start breeding.

On my tank, I use a small semi floating/sinking pellet for small fish. I fill the auto feeder up and have it set to dispense the smallest portion of food it can. It will last for about 7 weeks.

The shrimp eat the food that drops to the bottom, though they don't 'love it' like the sinking pellets. But they will eat it. All the fish do.

[Kayakbabe]

if you do go the auto feeder route, get one like the hydor brand. Or if you want to spend some bucks an eheim. The hydor eco mixer works like a champ for me. I think it cost me either $15 or $30, I don't remember. But it is not the digital one, it's a simple choice of 1,2,or 3 times a day feeding. I use the once a day feeding. I wouldn't go get the 6$ one at petsmart, I tried and couldn't get the dispense to be reliable enough in the amount it releases.

Also in the food, look for uniform size granules. Flakes can be 'flakey' in how they will flow out. Consistency is what you need for an autofeeder.

[mgamer20o0]

wow even with pre measured food they still over feed.... that sucks..... what you could do i hide all the food and just have day by day. there are even services that will go in and do this.

[fishscale]

Yeah...back in the clown puke gravel days, I had quite the disaster. I think like half the can was in the water.

But:

1. Back to topic at hand - guppies? or another livebearer?
2. What autofeeder do you all recommend? I am not getting something from a walmart.

[imeridian]

Well, in regards to livebearers as food, I hope your fish are a bit more... interested than mine are, my big ol' angelfish don't even bother tiny little 1/4" long mollies.

[aelysa]

I'd go with guppies/endlers. The baby madness just doesn't stop.

[fishscale]

Hmmm, could be an issue when I want a display tank. If they're anything like my shrimp, I'll never get them out. I tried to clear one of my 10's of RCS a couple times to start a colony of yellows, but they keep popping up. At first, I tried to catch them, since I want them, just not in that tank. When they still came up, I tried draining the tank and rinsing the substrate. I just gave up and let them be

We'll see, I guess.