Fish sitters

[mickeyplanner08]

Not really budget related, but it just dawned on me that for the amount of money I paid my neighbors to "watch" our goldfish for 2 weeks, I could have flushed him and bought about 40 new fish to replace him.

So, do I hire them again for when we go to Disney? WWYD?

 

[alyssa810]

Do you have a co-worker or a friend that would do it for you instead? or maybe a friend of your kids, who'd take payment in the form of a mickey lollipop LOL?

 

[mickeyplanner08]

Last year we paid in "Goofy" treats that we got with our snack credits.

I'm sure this neighbor would do it for nothing, but I just didn't feel right about not getting them anything. A $5 gift card just didn't seem like a whole lot, so I grabbed a $10 one. After I did it I realized it was all kind of ridiculous for a $.25 school carnival goldfish.

 

[jd4nati]

We use an automatic fish feeder when we are away on vacation. It works great for trips no longer than 7 days.

 

[nilseks]

They also sell 'feeding block' at the pet store, either in weekend of 7 day sizes. We have used them with great success, and they are less expensive than the auto feeder. Maybe you could have the neighbor come in once halfway through your trip, check on the fish, and change the feeding block. We have all our tank lights on timers, and you can buy a timer for just a few bucks.

 

[mickeyplanner08]

I used the feeders/blocks or whatever things when we had 2 or 3 fish, but this is just one lonely goldfish in a vase. Do they even make a feeder like that for only one fish? I never expected the thing to live past a week old, but here we are 15 months later, and I just can't bring myself to flush him

 

[KarenAylwood]

I used the feeders/blocks or whatever things when we had 2 or 3 fish, but this is just one lonely goldfish in a vase. Do they even make a feeder like that for only one fish? I never expected the thing to live past a week old, but here we are 15 months later, and I just can't bring myself to flush him

Umm... prepare yourself for a long haul, beacuse it is possible. I got three goldfish as a kid for Valentine's Day when I was 11 or 12 and they lived until my senior year of high school. We had some minnows we caught in a stream live 7 years.

I recall buying the feeding blocks. I thought they just bit at them so it was fine for one fish but it's been a while

 

[MScott1851]

This is so timely...we got Dd a betta a few months ago, and our first five day trip I had a coworker & her little boy fish-sit for us, because they had a betta too. I just brought home made cookies for them when I came to pick him up. But we will be gone for 10 days next month, and even though she offered again, I hated to do it. But praise Jesus, the fish got sick two days ago, went belly up yesterday, and DD hasn't noticed. I was planning on bringing my friend's kid a souvenier anyway, fish-sitter or not, cash never occurred to me.

 

[jennilouwho]

We have an auto fish feeder that we use to feed our aquatic turtle with when we're gone. I think you can use it 14 days, but the turtle only eats once a day, maybe fish eat more often?

 

[bearloch]

get the extended feeder it worked for us but know that worse case u may have a floater when u get home But I really think it would work with no troubles!! we used them for are trips and we were gone 10 days!

 

[pixiewings71]

We have saltwater fish so we have someone take care of them while we are gone, but we also have a dog and 3 cats so that person also takes care of them. lol For the freshwater fish, we used to just use a feeding block.

 

[mickeyplanner08]

OK, so now I just have to remember to go look for a feeding block thingy...my brain is on overload, so I'm not holding my breath that I'll remember.

I've got a history with extended-life goldfish. I took one to college my freshman year. He survived at least 4 12-hour car trips back and forth to home for summers. After graduation my mom added him to her much larger tank, and I was horrified when I came home the next time and my little tiny goldfish had grown into this giant 4-inch monster