Going on holiday, what do i do?

im going away on saturday for 11 days and i dont know how im going to feed the axolotls. last time i went for a week i just put some tubifex cubes in there and they were fine but i dont want to leave them in there any longer because theyll go all horrid and increase the ammonia etc. i cant do feeder fish, i think its cruel and a little too close to home since i keep and breed fish. what do i do???

Can you get someone to come and feed them?

If you can't get someone to come and feed them everyday, maybe just once or twice whilst your away would do. Axi's can go a considerable amount of time without eating - but I think that if they are fed on a regular basis and they are used to it then it is cruel to leave it for much longer than normal. I would suggest some feeder fish - but you are against this idea - so I don't know, sorry I havn't been much help.

Stick 'em in the fridge! Seriously... I think that'd slow their metabolisms enough so that 11 days without food wouldn't hurt..?

Try a trip down to your local pet shop for an automatic fish feeder and some catfish pellets. You can set it so it only gives them food every couple of days to avoid the water getting to messy. I use the fish mate model, it works a treat

Sticking them in the fridge does slow their metabolism down - but I think that after 11 days at 4*C might do them more harm than good???? Not too sure, but I personally wouldnt risk it - has anyone done it for this long before???

i would only recommend putting them in the fridge if they are ill not for long periods of time.

Yes it does slow everything down but after 11days they may slow down soo much they they might die!

The feeder is a good idea Jennifer, or get the neighbour to come in twice while your away all they have to do is put a had full of pellets in there.. im sure they wont mind just like feeding fish for them.

well, im back! before i left i put a few tubifex cubes in the tank after they had eaten and were full. when i got back they were frantically snapping at my fingers but other than that and growing about an inch theyre fine! the waters all clear, no uneaten food etc so everything worked fine. and no fishies got eaten

Glad to hear it went well!

i know this is like really late etc...but who fed your fish while you was away?

I left mine for a week. On the advice of the breeder we got her from, I fed her some meat and left a couple of pellets round the tank. When we got back her legs were really thin but she was fine. Her legs have filled out again now and everything's back to normal.