# Leaving my piranhas for a month



## fredweezy (May 27, 2004)

I'm leaving school for winter break and I don't have anyone to take care of my p's. I have no one to feed them, I was thinking about just putting a bunch of feeders in there tanks, cuz they will only eat about 5 at a time. I have 4 4-5" red bellys in one tank and a 10" g. spilo in another. I was also thinking about getting one of those automated feeders and putting some krill in there. What should I do??? I leave on Friday. Any help is appreciated.


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## RBPIRANHA 1 (Nov 17, 2004)

maybe asking a person you know near you to feed them until you get back.


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## galland (Nov 7, 2003)

Looks like cannibal city is about to open. A month is a long time to leave them. What about water quality, level etc. You're better off giving them to a LFS to hold for you. It probably won't cost that much and you'll be happy that they're all alive.
If you don't you'll be lucky to have one left.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

Pray


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## Phtstrat (Sep 15, 2004)

Assuming that there is really NO ONE to take care of them, I would also recommend leaving them at the LFS. There is no good way to keep them well fed and maintain good water quality for an entire month.


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## killerbee (Aug 18, 2004)

you might want to go ahead and sell them, a month is way too long. like everyone already stated water chem and war within each other, you will come back to all fish dead.


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## RBPIRANHA 1 (Nov 17, 2004)

or u can ask a pet store to watch them for u.


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## mori0174 (Mar 31, 2004)

If you cant find someone to feed them, leaving them alone is not an option. The spilo would survive almost guaranteed, but those pygos would not be in good shape.


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## DuffmanRC (Oct 2, 2003)

oh come on, can u guys think a bit? go out and fet a bunch of dividers, seperate them for a month, and when u get back, make sure u feed them before u let them out!


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## mori0174 (Mar 31, 2004)

DuffmanRC said:


> oh come on, can u guys think a bit? go out and fet a bunch of dividers, seperate them for a month, and when u get back, make sure u feed them before u let them out!
> [snapback]799448[/snapback]​


Unless he has a big tank, that is not fair to the fish.


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## Cobra (Sep 25, 2004)

good idea to use seperators. and install a automatic feeder above each seperated area with pellets in them. the only real problem is the water changing. there is a product u can add to the water that dissolves pirana sh*t so the tank will be less messy. good luck


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## JAC (Jan 19, 2004)

Do your Ps eat pellets?


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## Fido (May 21, 2003)

mori0174 said:


> Unless he has a big tank, that is not fair to the fish.
> [snapback]799468[/snapback]​


Better than death.

Dude seperate them, leave some small feeders running around, your Ps can go without food for over a week. So leave enough food for like 3 weeks. Do a big water change before leaving, and MAKE SURE you have 2 heaters and 2 filters running before you leave, no need to gamble. Your water wont be too bad if you clean the tank really really good before you leave.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

your best bet its to leave some small fast fish in there, so it takes tem a while to catch them, also, before you leave see if the will eat pellets, if they do no problems, just install an auto matic feeder, fist check to see how much pellets they will consume, and set the thing to dispense slightly less


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## Fresh (Feb 8, 2004)

this is why i dont understand why people bring their p's to school knowing winter break is about a month. kinda glad my school is only a week off for winter break.

your best bet is to sell them or find somewhere else to put them. a month without maintaince is killer


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## SpAzZy (Mar 30, 2004)

this is why i kept my tanks at home.. i had my brother's feed my p's while i was away, but i live at home now so it's all gravy.

i personally would go with the dividers idea. your spilo will survive, but pygos will start eating each other. i'd seperate and put some dithers with each of them.

the lfs route doesn't sound bad either, just make sure you talk to the owner, not an employee..


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## shoe997bed263 (Oct 15, 2004)

i would do the lfs thing that probably is your best bet i think that u will def lose some p's if u leave them for a month


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## LancerReiNi (Feb 12, 2004)

I'm surprised no one's mentioned an auto feeder? I'm assuming these piranhas are precious to you and hopefully you can shell out some $$ for an autofeeder, just set the time and that should be okay.


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## Fido (May 21, 2003)

LancerReiNi said:


> I'm surprised no one's mentioned an auto feeder? I'm assuming these piranhas are precious to you and hopefully you can shell out some $$ for an autofeeder, just set the time and that should be okay.
> [snapback]800134[/snapback]​


sh*t i just thought of that. I know a lot of koi pond owners have this. Get an auto feeder.


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## Fresh (Feb 8, 2004)

Cobra said:


> and install a automatic feeder]





rbp 4 135 said:


> just install an auto matic feeder


hehe careful reading helps out in the end


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## yonam (Apr 16, 2004)

I don't know about auto feeder's...speaking of water, a month is not that bad as long as u have a good filtration. good luck man.


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## ReDraGon-> (May 24, 2004)

yonam said:


> I don't know about auto feeder's...speaking of water, a month is not that bad as long as u have a good filtration. good luck man.
> [snapback]800151[/snapback]​


good point u got there... a month wouldnt be a problem without water changes scince they arent giving a bioload as bad as normal feedings...

Just Get another ac500 or something close ... and auto feed them

they WILL end up EATING Pellets... sh*t they have no Choice

it took me about a week before my Ps eat pellets ... u got a month

u should start NOW on feeding Pellets


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## heffer2028 (Oct 10, 2004)

just pour in pounds and pounds of krill until there is an enormous pile in the middle of your tank.. then leave.. hehe just kidding







listen to what they said about auto feeder!!


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2004)

The auto feeder is about the only option really. Don't leave live fish in there. Unless your fish always consume the entire thing. Several floating heads over the month could lead to an ammonia spike and death.


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## Natt King Shoal (Aug 7, 2004)

I see two options.

1. Bring the Ps home with you! Put them in a large cooler. Grab a large rubbermaid bin once you are at home. For 5 4" Ps, they could make due in a 30G tub for a month but it would be cramped (better than alone in a dorm). Be sure to bring at least 50% of your mature water home with you (and filters, heater etc).

2. Make a trip back to the dorm at about the 2-week interval to feed, clean etc.


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## norfolkfolkthunderbird77 (Apr 26, 2003)

hey just get a crap load of danios. my pygos have a hard time with these. they get them eventually but usually not in a long time. add a bunch of plants so the danios can hide. the p's will get them but not for along time,but that is what u wanted.


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## killerbee (Aug 18, 2004)

ReDraGon-> said:


> Just Get another ac500 or something close ... and auto feed them
> 
> they WILL end up EATING Pellets... sh*t they have no Choice
> 
> [snapback]800167[/snapback]​


OR they are going to turn on each other..it will go like this:

Hmmm, your starting to look tasty to me bro, instead of those wack things that keep falling in here...









i would sell them, would u really trust them in the hands of lfs...


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## fredweezy (May 27, 2004)

Just got back from break and they are all alive and well. I did the autofeeder thing and it totally worked, I just fed them some raw pork and they ate it so they must be a ok, I got some fin nips on the runt of the group but he was also the first to chomp on the pork so he seems aight.


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## Fido (May 21, 2003)

heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey congrats man, thanks for the update! mela fix and salt for the fin nips should do it.

What were the water parameters like?


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

Filo said:


> heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey congrats man, thanks for the update! mela fix and salt for the fin nips should do it.
> 
> What were the water parameters like?
> [snapback]856527[/snapback]​


Fin nips will heal themselves. No need to add Meds.


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## alan (Mar 11, 2004)

kiss them goodbye


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

awesome to hear they made out alright... my friend here at school had 2 reds in a 20 gallon and left them over winter break the whole month by themselves and about 50 feeders in there. he came back and the water was about halfway down but other then that they were fine. mine.. i went through the trouble of bringing them with me home but whatever floats your boat...


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## NegativeCamber (Nov 29, 2004)

wow, I am glad they made it through the month! How was the water parameters??


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## Fido (May 21, 2003)

alan said:


> kiss them goodbye
> [snapback]857235[/snapback]​


?? they are ok...he just got back...


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