Can Apistos survive 3 weeks without feeding?

[angel]

Hello - I'm planning to go on vacation for 3 weeks. I have pairs of Apistos in quite a few species tanks, so it is not quite feasible to use auto-feeders. In the past, I have been away for two weeks, and they (including fry) seemed to have survived without any problems without feeding for the duration. This time though, it will be for 3 weeks, and I am not so sure.

Would be grateful if you could share your thoughts and experiences on this matter.

Also, I am afraid that during the three weeks, the pairs may spawn and kill or inflict damage on each other - how could I minimise this type of result?

Thanks,
Angel

 

[apistobob]

In my experiance three weeks is starting to push the limit for expecting no negative results. I have, on several occaisions, gone three weeks without feeding. Normally, there is little loss of fish - adults or fry. However, I have had exceptions. This past fall I went just under three weeks and returned to find that a tank with a pair of N. transvestitus with two day old free swimming fry when I left had no adults yet the fry were fine. However, in most of the rest of the tanks I had few if any losses.

My tanks are all choked with vegetation so there is a lot of natural plant material and detritus for the fish to eat and there are great habitats for the microscopic creatures that many fry can find to graze on.

My advice, add as much complexity of habitat as possible and hope for the best. Also, I suggest that you suspend any algae removal until after you return as aa film of algae also provides grazing opportunities.

Bob

 

[angel]

Apistobob, thanks... sounds promising...

Do you (or anyone else) know whether apistos, if really hungry, will eat floating water sprite plants (Ceratopteris thalictroides)? I have these in every apisto tank.

Cheers
Angel

 

[fishgeek]

i often put in large numbers of live daphnia before i leave so that there is a food source for adults in the tank fro some time too

obviously strong filtration would remove these though simple foam filters are fine

andrew

 

[angel]

Has anyone tried Tetra Gel Feeder Blocks? They seem quite good in that they don't dissolve and spoil the water like plaster feeders:

Existing plaster blocks are “old school” technology that can wreak havoc on your water quality! Tetra’s innovative new gel feeder blocks contains no plaster and feed from five days with the TetraWeekend, or to up to 14 days with the TetraVacation.

Tetra’s feeders provide real nutrition to fish when they need it.
- Allows fish to eat when hungry vs. plaster feeders that dissolve.
- Packed with Tetra’s patented, health enhancing ProCare ingredients.
- Will not pollute water or negatively effect water quality.
- Gel blocks may be left in the aquarium when regular feeding is resumed.

Are they really that good? Are they ok for small tanks with pairs of apistos? Won't apistos keep eating till they die (I suppose these things are not that tasty)?

Cheers
Angel