Another snail/betta question

[Chickerdoodle13]

I am leaving for home tomorrow and I am hoping to leave my snail and betta fish here for the long weekend. I went out and bought these week long fish feeder things for betta fish. I dropped one in the tank tonight and it seemed to be working ok, but then my snail found it. He is really, really enjoying it and I'm afraid he might eat most of it before the betta can get any.

Now my question is, do you think I should add another one, or at least another piece just to be sure? I didn't think the snail would like it as much as it does and the package said each piece is enough for one betta for a week (seven days). I will be gone for six days. I just don't want to come back and find my fish starved to death! I guess I could always just take the snail out too and separate them for the weekend. What do you think I should do?

 

[ole-crone]

Sounds like it would be easiest to just separate them.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Ok, I just separated them for the weekend and I am going to bring the snail home for the weekend so I can put it in the new tanks with the babies. I also put in a new tablet for the betta. I couldn't believe how much the snail ate!

How often should I feed snails? I am planning on buying some algae tablets to give them along with veggies and greens. Do they eat what they want or just keep eating until they explode? LOL

 

[texasgirl]

Fish can go a really long time without eating and those feeder things tend to foul up the water a lot, they leave a lot of waste = ammonia. They will be fine without anything to eat for 3 days.

 

[Varisha]

Quote:
I secound this. And thos feeders tend to be set up for fish like tetra's and such. So they are mostly veggie matter and you betta is a meat eater.

I would not seperate them and would simply drop in there normal ration of food just befor leaving and when you get home drop in anouther normal ration of food. (I have worked at a pet store and have raised several fish from the lowly gold fish to the mighty oscar)

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I actually bought these tablets that are made specially for bettas. They are much smaller than the normal ones that looks like sea shells. These are shaped like little betta fish

I will actually be away for about six days. I was just worried because my fish is always hungry! LOL, I feed him like five pellets a day! (Not all at once)

Since I already separated the snail I think I will still just take it home to show my mom. At least I will know what to do for next time!

Varisha,

My dream fish has always been one of those beautiful black oscars with the bright orange stripes. I think they are sooo beautiful! I call them Halloween fish. I know they get HUGE though, so maybe one day I will get my dream tank.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Some people give those types of feeders to their snails, because the calcium is good for their shells. I don't know how often they feed those, though. He/she probably liked all those meaty foods in it, too. After snails get larger, they like more than just algae. So, it wasn't all bad that it happened.

 

[Varisha]

Tiger oscar's are neat

I had albino tiger's three of them in my 75 gallon tank. They get very large and they are one of the few fish that I think have personalities you can pick up on. Maybe I need to get that tank set up again..hmmm...

 

[Chirpy]

I third the advice to not use those "vacation feeders" for your fish. They really do foul up your water. More people kill their fish from overfeeding than from underfeeding.

Your fish can easily go five days without food. Just feed it normal before you leave and then again, normal amount, when you get back. Although I would not recommend this happening often a couple times a year is fine.

The best solution is to find someone who can actually come in every couple of days and feed the fish while you are gone. If you had someone to do that you would want to put the correct amount of feed in little baggies (or something) and label them for which day/time to feed. It's amazing how often I hear of people who's fish die because their fishsitter overfed the fish because they felt like they weren't getting enough food.

I have done complete blackouts for five days (to kill off blue/green algae - the beast) several times over the last two years and 100% of my fish have been just fine in the dark and without food for those five days. I'm the one who has the hard time ... I keep wanting to peak and see how they are doing but can't. Anyway good luck and enjoy your time at home.