Feeding and Vacation

[crb1701]

Hi Everybody,

What are the rules with leaving fish over the weekend? I realize when you're planning to be away for 3 days or more you should make arrangements with someone to come by and feed your fish or use one of the drop-in feeder blocks. My questions:

I've heard most fish can be left for a day or two without feeding. Is that true? Can they go longer?

If you're going to feed your fish with one of these drop-in feeder blocks over a long period of time, which brands work the best? Do they mess up the tank?

Thanks,

Curt

[Levi]

your fish will be fine, i wouldn't put a feeder block in there

[doug z]

I would go with a automated feeder over a feeder block..

A feeder block will make a mess, and if you have aggressive fish, they will keep the other fish from feeding from it..

[gm72]

Fish can go longer than you think without eating. A weekend is no problem at all. Don't mess with anything--just leave them be and they'll be fine.

[Fishalicious]

Fish can very easily go a week without being fed... if I go away for a week I also just leave them. In the wild they also go very long periods without food.

[jbeining75]

My Oscars go three days when I have to go to DC... God forbid my wife get off the couch and drop some pellets in lol.....:ezpi_wink1:

[gm72]

Remember that fish in the wild are mostly opportunistic feeders, meaning that indeed they go long periods at times without food. They'll be fine.

[crb1701]

Thanks, everyone. I'll sleep better tonight. :hmm3grin2orange:

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, it will be fine, i have to go away the odd weekend every few months, i dont bother feeding them

[sailor]

Some fish like the mouthbrooding cichlids go up to 6 weeks without eating. A few days will be fine. Most people feed their fish more than what is required anyway.

[doug z]

It's odd that it's recommended for most fish that you feed them twice a day, when they can go several days without, then..

I know the reasoning is so they don't gorge, and so they don't leave a bunch of food uneaten in the tank, but..

[cocoa_pleco]

yeah, i dont know why its twice a day, i feed my fish randomly, i skip a day 1-2 times a week and i usually feed them 4-5 small feedings daily

[crb1701]

Books and food labels usually say twice a day. Is that way too much? I usually feed them twice a day but just what they can eat in 60 seconds.

[cocoa_pleco]

its best to feed a bunch of small feedings a day, since they dont get 2 perfectly timed meals in the wild. however, if you work alot, usually all you can do is feed them once before you leave and once when you come back