Fish left unattended

Fish left unattended can survive

Recently, I had to leave my fish without care or maintenance. I had no idea when or if I would get them back. There was someone there in the house, however, that someone cared nothing about the fish. I couldn’t take them with me. Inconsistent feedings and inconsistent water changes would do more harm than good. My fish would be better off without any attention at all

Goldfish abandoned

I wasn’t worried the fish would starve. My stock tank has a lush layer of algae built up on the side walls of the tank. It’s highly nutritious and my fish love it. They peck on it periodically throughout the day

I wasn’t worried the fish would be poisoned by nitrates. Feeding on nitrates, algae keeps levels at bay. The fish eat the algae. The waste they produce creates the toxins created by the nitrogen cycle, with nitrates being the end result

Fish left unattended

A month later, my fish were brought to me in a bucket of their tank water, along with their pumps; all in excellent health. Nitrates tested at 20 to 40 ppm; the cycle in tact

Goldfish left alone

The pumps were left running, and one light on one side of the tank was left on. The light burned out after two weeks, however, the algae hung in there for the duration

In a million years I never thought I would abandon my fish, but life is unpredictable. No, I wasn’t lucky. Luck had nothing to do with it. A natural ecosystem saved my fish from certain death, however, it’s good to know I can leave for the weekend, or even a week with little to no consequence