Path: utzoo!hoptoad!ihnp4!laidbak!spl1!ddsw1!gryphon!richard From: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) Newsgroups: alt.aquaria Subject: Re: Fish at Christmas Message-ID: <2554@gryphon.CTS.COM> Date: 12 Dec 87 03:28:54 GMT References: <315@galaxy> Reply-To: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) Distribution: alt Organization: Trailing Edge Technology, Redondo Beach, CA Lines: 43 Keywords: Extended Vacation, Starvation; Dont worry about it Summary: Don't giftwrap mine, please In article <315@galaxy> whitling@andromeda (Donna Whitlinger) writes: >Does anyone have any information about how long a small marine tank can >go within any attention? I have a five gallon aquarium in my office >containing a small pericula (sp) clown and an anemone. The office will >be closed from December 25th until January 5th. If I set up a feeder with >flaked marine food, will the clown die of malnutrition during this period? >Will the anemone starve while I'm not there? > >I thought about taking the tank (or its occupants) home for the break, but >it seems that the shock of transport might be worse. Any thoughts or >experience? Dont sweat it. 3 weeks to a month, and it *might* be cause for concern, but it is truly amazing how long they can go without food. When you get back your fish will be active, and the tank very clean. I have met with disaster every %#(%^@ time I let somebody else (even alleged experienced aquarists) "take care" of my tanks. I now just ignore them, ans have even learned not to worry. Never lost a fish that way. BTW, I once had a tank, about 2-3 years ago, be completely ignored for 6 months. I was missing 2 out of 20 killiefish, but that was it. No, I don't think 10 days is cause for concern. Doesn't help, does it ? You still worry. Could you not go in after 5 days and feed them A LITTLE (ie, resist the strong urge you will have to 'make up' for not feeding them, and potentially overfeed them) Also, lowering the temp. a couple of degrees will slow their metabolism a bit, which may help. Don't worry. Really. >Donna Whitlinger -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."