Best fishes to have while going out of town

[Mr.Shrimps]

Hello Fellow Fish Friends. I have a 60 gallon tank and I would like to be able to leave for vacation every once in a while. I would like to set up an automatic pellet feeder. Aside from clowns what other fish would be able to swim up and get to the food. I am transferring tanks and am going to have to get rid of my pistol shrimp (how I love) because I have to target feed him and my goby because I don't want my rock work messed with.

Any opinions on easy fish to feed for a 60 gallon?

[lespaul339]

Chromis, dartfish, small wrasse.

[madweazl]

Originally Posted by Mr.Shrimps

Hello Fellow Fish Friends. I have a 60 gallon tank and I would like to be able to leave for vacation every once in a while. I would like to set up an automatic pellet feeder. Aside from clowns what other fish would be able to swim up and get to the food. I am transferring tanks and am going to have to get rid of my pistol shrimp (how I love) because I have to target feed him and my goby because I don't want my rock work messed with.

Any opinions on easy fish to feed for a 60 gallon?

The pistol and goby are pretty good scavengers; I think you're under estimating their ability to find food.

[Sk8r]

sandsifting gobies, damsels, blennies, shrimp, angels, most anything but exotic and delicate: you can put flake in an Eheim feeder---I recommend separate feeders for flake and pellet. I've never target-fed fish or corals and now and again go for a month's absence.

[CStrickland]

I bet you don't have to get rid of the shrimp and goby. They find food just fine. The goby will take it from the water when you feed and the shrimp will eat at night when nobody's watching. If you leave them to their own devices for 2-3 days, the goby will eat like the other fish and the shrimp will hunt at night. You will see if you come to the tank with a red light (most of our inverts can't see that part of the spectrum) you'll find shrimp out prowling for food. They don't have good eye sight so they pair with fish that do, but it isn't like they die without a partner. If it were they'd be extinct. They come out at night when nobody can see well, then they have the advantage because they have adapted to the condition, they smell well and are super sensitive to changes in current that signal predators. So even if your goby is selfish and doesn't share, the shrimp will get his. I doubt they could upset your rock if they tried.

You can use your phone to watch the tank at night. There are apps for stargazing called "astronomy flashlight" that use a red light; or you can google "red" and point the screen at your tank. Or buy a special flashlight. Nighttime is a prey party because all the hunters are sleeping. Your pistol is probs hunting then, or he would be if you didn't target him.

How long a vaca are you talking about anyway?
The tank setup for a week away is no big deal at all, you only need to build your tank around it if you're thinking of months at sea or something weird like that. For most people this is not a reason to pick one fish over another. Maybe worry about it if your set on keeping anthias or non-photosynthetic coral - special stuff. Otherwise it's totes manageable.

[kmbyrnes]

Fat ones.

[thegrun]

I like Salmon or Halibut when I go out of town!

[hotdogmj71]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

sandsifting gobies, damsels, blennies, shrimp, angels, most anything but exotic and delicate: you can put flake in an Eheim feeder---I recommend separate feeders for flake and pellet. I've never target-fed fish or corals and now and again go for a month's absence.

A month? I'm worried when leaving for 5 days. Anything special you do other than making sure there is food in the automatic feeders?