Matto Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 well i had my neighbor coming over to feed my fish while i was away at the beach and he managed to kill 9 red empress, 12 yellows ,15 or so ice blues ,my last azureus female which were in one tank and my 3 new tiwan reefs and a couple rustys in my other breeding tank! :an!gry :an!gry &c:ry he fed them so much that there was a 1cm layer of food all over the bottom and you could only see half way through the tank! and the bit that really annoys me is that my phone number and my mothers was on the instruction list and i still havent even had a single txt from him telling me that there was a problem :an!gry i was lucky my mother came home early or i would have lost even more.so now the next thing is what do i do next? more Africans, cold water marine or tropical marine? i have a empty 210 litre tank with t8 lights and a 80 litre tank i could use as a sump :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 tropical marine - i have a empty 210 litre tank with t8 lights and a 80 litre tank i could use as a sump :dunno: I think you answered your own question... EDIT: obviously you'll need a bit more gear, but maybe start out local marine and turn tropical later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 That's why you should always make up little containers and say "Dump in one per day." Having some random noob feed your fish is nearly guaranteed to get them killed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfishybuisness Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 That's why you should always make up little containers and say "Dump in one per day." Having some random noob feed your fish is nearly guaranteed to get them killed. auto fish feeders are better i found haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 So sorry about your fish. It happens when non fishy knowledge people look after them, probably found all the food was dumped in on one day and never returned to check on them again I suggest next time advertising on here in advance to your holiday and perhaps a forum friend can look after them for you. I only ask my friend who has knowledge of fish to look after them, else I buy a food tablet and cut it in four and put it all over the tank, those have been good for me so far, no troubles with them yet and we went away for two weeks once and I came back to even find bristlenose babies. Hope your new tank will be very excitening for you and that you have better luck with a better fish sitter next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matto Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 auto fish feeders are better i found haha its a bit expensive when you have 8 tanks :slfg: So sorry about your fish. It happens when non fishy knowledge people look after them, probably found all the food was dumped in on one day and never returned to check on them again I suggest next time advertising on here in advance to your holiday and perhaps a forum friend can look after them for you. I only ask my friend who has knowledge of fish to look after them, else I buy a food tablet and cut it in four and put it all over the tank, those have been good for me so far, no troubles with them yet and we went away for two weeks once and I came back to even find bristlenose babies. Hope your new tank will be very excitening for you and that you have better luck with a better fish sitter next time thanks mcrudd, i thought it wasn't that hard to feed a few fish but he managed to stuff it up and he didnt call me when it all went wrong which is the annoying part but like you say i have a new opportunity to try something different if i want to :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfishybuisness Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 its a bit expensive when you have 8 tanks :slfg: thanks mcrudd, i thought it wasn't that hard to feed a few fish but he managed to stuff it up and he didnt call me when it all went wrong which is the annoying part but like you say i have a new opportunity to try something different if i want to :thup: only 8 :lol: i have 17 haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Wow I would be furious. I hope you are going to take them to the disputes tribunal for the cost of replacing the fish. I would say mcrudd is right in that they dumped all the food in on one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackp Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Wow I would be furious. I hope you are going to take them to the disputes tribunal for the cost of replacing the fish. I would say mcrudd is right in that they dumped all the food in on one day. you can't sue someone for mucking up while doing you a favour. if you could, noone would offer to help anyone else as they stand to gain nothing but possibly lose a lot. all you can do is write it off to bad luck and learn from the experience. fish don't need to be fed daily while you're on holiday and no matter how well meaning, people with no experience of fish have no idea about water parameters etc. they just think it's about getting enough food into the fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Yeah, I wouldnt take them to the disputes tribunal. Bit too far, especially because they were just trying to help. I get my neighbor or my mate who has a turtle to come around and feed every second day and put the amount I want them to feed on a piece of paper. I went away for two weeks over Xmas and all there was, was algae on the glass. No green water, no food accumulation. It may be worth it to invest in a automatic feeder if you travel quite often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Gutted sorry to hear it, unfortunately people who don't keep fish have no idea how much to feed and often think it is cool or good to give them a good feed, I have lost many fish that way too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matto Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 it clearly says in my instructions if there is food on the bottom you are feeding too much :sml1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh_S Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Sorry to hear bout your losses. :an!gry Ive just arrived home after 2 weeks and everything is ok at mine. With the exception of a slightly dry sump. What i had was a 7 day pill container from the $2 shop on each tank. They came round every 2nd day and fed the fishys, i also hid all the other food away so there was no chance of overfeeding. Oviously this isnt of much help now but thought i would just share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Dude I feel gutted for you :tears: :an!gry you can't sue someone for mucking up while doing you a favour. How is that a favour? If they were provided with instructions and told how to look after them properly, and they just went and disobeyed those intructions, how on earth is that a favour? I have had to look after people's pets before. I always do exactly what the intructions say, and I also ask them to go through it with me before they leave, and I phone them if I am having any difficulties. I could understand if he wasn't provided with any information as to how much to feed them. But the fact that he had instructions on how to look after them and he mistreated them by polluting their tank is just wrong. I definately don't think that sueing him is going too far :an!gry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2904 Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Bugger man,,,, I went away for two weeks and my fish just starved lol but they are all sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackp Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Dude I feel gutted for you :tears: :an!gry How is that a favour? If they were provided with instructions and told how to look after them properly, and they just went and disobeyed those intructions, how on earth is that a favour? I have had to look after people's pets before. I always do exactly what the intructions say, and I also ask them to go through it with me before they leave, and I phone them if I am having any difficulties. I could understand if he wasn't provided with any information as to how much to feed them. But the fact that he had instructions on how to look after them and he mistreated them by polluting their tank is just wrong. I definately don't think that sueing him is going too far :an!gry while i think sueing him would be morally wrong, you also actualy wouldn't have a case. there was no contract or money changing hands, therefore there is no legal responsibility on his part. if you hired a professional fish looker-afterer, and they were neglegant and killed your fish you might have a case. otherwise where would you draw the line. should a friend helping you move have to pay for any damages if he stumbles while carrying your stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 should a friend helping you move have to pay for any damages if he stumbles while carrying your stuff? That it a completely different scenario and not applicable to this situation. That is an accident. You don't accidentally leave a whole heap of food to rot in a fish tank and pollute the water, which kills the fish, and stand back saying "Yep, I've done a good job, nothing wrong here". Especially when you have instructions provided to you. If he was doing as the instructions said, he would have siphoned off any excess food, and not have overfed them in the first place. This guy had the instructions on how to care for these fish, and he completely disobeyed them. When looking after something for somebody else, you need to care for them following the instructions given, and care for them just as good as their owner or if not, better. This guy neglected the fish, and had the instructions on how to care for them. It's unbelievable :evil: If he can't be sued, surely there is a good way to get back at him for it? He deserves it :evil: :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 while i think sueing him would be morally wrong, you also actually wouldn't have a case. there was no contract or money changing hands, therefore there is no legal responsibility on his part. A verbal contract is still a legal contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 You guys are being so childish about this! You invited this guy into your house and gave a total novice your tank to take care of and then when the fish die you want to sue him? How ridiculous is that? It's going to make even people on here think 10 times before they volunteer help when you need it! And you don't have a contract here because the party in question had no intention or knowledge of there being a contract and had no intention to be bound to a contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Unfortunately the error is likely on the part of the OP. There are enough horror stories like this on the internet to know that this is a likely outcome no matter how detailed the instructions are. If you have to rely on a person to feed you need to do a training run first, or, give them a goldfish to look after for a week at their own home. And then check the water parameters after a week to see if they have coped. I did some training videos for my daughter when she had to look after my fish, and called daily to see how things were. And the very first day she asked me why the scales were falling off my Oranda &c:ry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Better yet, get your neighbour interested in fish keeping and then, once he has his own tank up and running, he is only too pleased to look after your fish while you are away knowing that you will do the same for him :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matto Posted January 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 You guys are being so childish about this! You invited this guy into your house and gave a total novice your tank to take care of and then when the fish die you want to sue him? How ridiculous is that? It's going to make even people on here think 10 times before they volunteer help when you need it! And you don't have a contract here because the party in question had no intention or knowledge of there being a contract and had no intention to be bound to a contract. im not going to sue anybody,my neighbor managed to kill 30 odd fish in what was actually 8 days,if he had followed the instructions they would still be alive,i brought a brand new 500g container of fish food a week or so before Christmas and in 8 days he had used close to half of it,so don't say he didn't know what he was doing ,and i have been home for four days now and he still hasn't built up the courage to come over to say sorry to a 15year old for killing his fish,rather pathetic if you ask me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Very sorry to hear about this. We have all lost fish or entire tanks due to our own naivety but it doesnt make it any easier. I am sure plenty of people would be only to pleased to help out in the future especially in Hamilton. Its not like you live in crappy Bulls where the only other fish-keeper moved to Auckland The only advice is don't give up and learn from the experience. You wouldn't take your car to the hairdresser to do a tune up so I am sure they now feel really bad and may be to scared to face you. Forgive them and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 i brought a brand new 500g container of fish food a week or so before Christmas and in 8 days he had used close to half of it,so don't say he didn't know what he was doing That's NASTY! and i have been home for four days now and he still hasn't built up the courage to come over to say sorry to a 15year old for killing his fish,rather pathetic if you ask me That is rather pathetic, but you could be right. He could be very ashamed of what he has done and doesn't have the courage to face you. How exactly do you tell someone you killed off their wonderful fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjc Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 bummer dude, that sucks. I let my neighbours feed my dogs and cats when im away but i always make my mate travel 35mins a day to feed my fish, cost me a few lagers but worth it in the long run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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