Fridging for over a week?

[SamAxolotl]

So we're going out of town in about a month and I want to make caring for my pets as easy as possible for my pet sitter. I don't want her to have to do a lot of aquarium cleaning and water changes, so could I just fridge my axie for that time? It'd be about 10 days and I would plan to just have the sitter check on him when she comes just to make sure he's doing alright.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Why not just give him a feast the day before, make sure he poops, and then fast him for the 10 days you're gone??? Fridging should only be done in emergency settings when it's a difference between life and death. @JM29 might be able to give more advice on this than I can.

 

[SamAxolotl]

Why not just give him a feast the day before, make sure he poops, and then fast him for the 10 days you're gone??? Fridging should only be done in emergency settings when it's a difference between life and death. @JM29 might be able to give more advice on this than I can.

The thing is, he still poops pretty consistently even if he skips a meal ( I generally feed him every other day and he usually poops every other/every two days) so the sitter would still have to clean out the water and do changes etc. so I don't think fasting would fix that problem... and 10 days seems like a very long time to go without food, even though I know they're capable of fasting like that I'm not sure it would be healthy to fast him so abruptly since he's used to consistent feeding. I appreciate the feedback and will definitely keep it in mind as I look for solutions.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

How consistently are you feeding him and are you dealing with a juvenile? It seems that if you are feeding him consistently and he is pooping consistently then it might be that he's just pooping at the rate you're feeding him.

 

[SamAxolotl]

How consistently are you feeding him and are you dealing with a juvenile? It seems that if you are feeding him consistently and he is pooping consistently then it might be that he's just pooping at the rate you're feeding him.

That could be... I feed him fairly consistently I usually don't miss days. He is a full grown adult, right around 2 years old.

 

[wolfen]

although fridging will slow down his metabolism it also has the potential of shutting down organ function which is why it should only be done as a last resort.
if the cycling for the tank at the beginning was done to 4ppm ammonia then your filters have the ability to cope with the waste from 10 days it will just be a case of regrowing the bacteria colony as they will only be big enough to cope with what ever waste is left after scooping the poop and removing food waste.
what type of filter is fitted?
even if he was fridged he would still need daily water changes.
with my three when I go on holiday I load the tank up with river shrimp (about 200 - 300) doing a water change the day before going.

 

[SamAxolotl]

although fridging will slow down his metabolism it also has the potential of shutting down organ function which is why it should only be done as a last resort.
if the cycling for the tank at the beginning was done to 4ppm ammonia then your filters have the ability to cope with the waste from 10 days it will just be a case of regrowing the bacteria colony as they will only be big enough to cope with what ever waste is left after scooping the poop and removing food waste.
what type of filter is fitted?
even if he was fridged he would still need daily water changes.
with my three when I go on holiday I load the tank up with river shrimp (about 200 - 300) doing a water change the day before going.

This is all really good to know, thank you for the information! I'll see if I can find some shrimp to put in with him before I leave. He's a fairly small guy, about 7 or 8 inches. How many shrimp do you think for him?

 

[wolfen]

because of his size 30 - 40 should be plenty.