How long without feeding fish?
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Jon Fishman
Cleveland Ohio, buy/sell local!
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As long as I want....
Hemmdog
10K Club member
+1 ! Thank you !
My leapord wrasse stayed in sand for 2 weeks and looked great when came out so there is a reference. I once had auto feeder over fed and caused disaster. I am more concerned about over feeding. It will be fine
I make my mixture of frozen foods for my 210 reef by thawing the different foods. Mysis, brine, shrimp, scallops and seaweed then freezing it in appropriate proportions in ice cube trays. Not only is it easy to feed every night but for my neighbors to feed when im away every few days.
00sevenless
New Member
I've gone 8 days and the fish were fine, but I only have 2 clown fish and the tank is full of copepods and amphipods. You may consider to turn down the temperature 2-3 degrees (depending on what you have it set to). The fish are coldblooded so that will slow down their metabolism and it will help with the evaporation rate of the tank.
Rich Klein
Active Member
Guess I have to agree with the “how long do you go without feeding your dog” comment above. I make sure to have someone lined-up to feed my fish (and dog) when I’m not going to be there. Seems cruel to just consider “how long will the fish live without food. I realize that I might offend some people, but IMO it’s just mean to purposely starve your fish.
Paul Sands
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add me to the “how long do you go without feeding your dog” list. these animals are in a glass box because of our decisions, not theirs. it’s our responsibility to make sure they are cared for and fed. when i go on vacation i add an autofeeder so they have something to eat every day. if i’m gone for more than a few days i have someone come to check the tank and feed some frozen.
eheim auto feeders are cheap and pretty foolproof. Just tape the little slider in place that controls how much food is dispensed.
eheim auto feeders are cheap and pretty foolproof. Just tape the little slider in place that controls how much food is dispensed.
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Would that include Anthias fish?
00sevenless
New Member
I know this can be an ethical argument (and for good reason) but many of us don't initially know how much of our own energy intake goes to keeping our bodies at 98 degrees regardless of the environmental temperature.
Cold blooded animals need so much less energy. Giving them too much food can cause damage in the form of excess nutrients. For example, you can find many articles online documenting how snakes and other reptiles can go nearly a year without eating after having a big meal.
Anyway, here you can find research documenting the daily nutritional requirements of many ornamental fish (note this is in mg/day often for fish that are grams in size). Know that I don't post this to flame a spam war, but only in the hopes of educating. . . .Fish don't eat like dogs.
Nutrient requirements for ornamental fish
Thanks for your reply, and I am not at all interested in a flame/spam war either. I gave a flippant reply to a flippant reply to a comment I made. In response to your post, first let me say that fish are not ornaments, they are salient beings. They are much more intelligent that we humans give them credit for. There has even been a recent study showing that a cleaner wrasse is "self aware", able to recognize itself in a mirror and deal with a spot it sees on itself. Below is a link to a National Geographic article on the subject. I found that amazing.I know this can be an ethical argument (and for good reason) but many of us don't initially know how much of our own energy intake goes to keeping our bodies at 98 degrees regardless of the environmental temperature.
Cold blooded animals need so much less energy. Giving them too much food can cause damage in the form of excess nutrients. For example, you can find many articles online documenting how snakes and other reptiles can go nearly a year without eating after having a big meal.
Anyway, here you can find research documenting the daily nutritional requirements of many ornamental fish (note this is in mg/day often for fish that are grams in size). Know that I don't post this to flame a spam war, but only in the hopes of educating. . . .Fish don't eat like dogs.
Nutrient requirements for ornamental fish
In any case, my position is that if someone is going to have a tank and keep fish as pets, they have an obligation to take proper care of the animals they keep. If you have a stocked aquarium and are going to be away for a period of time, should you make arrangements to feed your fish or not. Yes, you should. Many of the replies were spot on, others were not. Stating that you didn't feed your fish for a week, 9 days, two weeks and they were "fine", implying that it is fine to do so is irresponsible. As you mentioned, over feeding is also irresponsible. I realize there are different types of fish. In a well established tank with algae a tang or foxface will find plenty to eat grazing on algae. Other types of fish, anthias, for example, have different needs, and will struggle.
So, in summary, and in responding to the gist of the original question, if you are going away, should I make arrangements to feed my fish while I am gone, you certainly should. You should give as much consideration to them as you do your cat, dog, snake, or kids. If your snake just had a big meal, no need to feed it. All of the aforementioned would be "fine" (not necessarily happy, but alive) if they didn't eat for a week. Should we not feed the cat, dog, or kid for a week? Of course the answer is no. Why shouldn't the same consideration be given to the fish?
If the original question had been "help! I was only going to be gone for a couple of days and I got stuck due to an emergency and will now be gone for a week and there is no way for me to get anyone else to feed my fish, will they be okay" the answer would be most likely yes, they will survive.
This tiny fish can recognize itself in a mirror. Is it self-aware?
The cleaner wrasse joins humans, chimpanzees, dolphins, and a select few other animals that can pass a long-standing intelligence test.
mattybecks
Active Member
I have gone for a week without feeding. I don't do it too often though, maybe two or three times a year.
I make sure to do a water change right before I leave.
Never seen any negative effects and all fish are always normal when I get back. Don't even seem excessively hungry.
If I am gone for longer than 10 days I usually ask someone to come in every two or three days and drop food in once per day.
This way I know my water quality will be fine. I have been doing this for freshwater and marine for as long as I can remember.
Current stocking: 170L, 100cm long tank
2 x clownfish
2 x firefish
3 x banggai cardinals
1 x tailspot blenny
1 x yellow watchman goby
1 x coral beauty.
Normal feeding regime is 2 or 3 x per day. 20% water change 1 x per week (but I think I will change this soon, water is "too clean". Nitrates only managed to get to about 5ppm after 7 days when I usually do my water change.
I make sure to do a water change right before I leave.
Never seen any negative effects and all fish are always normal when I get back. Don't even seem excessively hungry.
If I am gone for longer than 10 days I usually ask someone to come in every two or three days and drop food in once per day.
This way I know my water quality will be fine. I have been doing this for freshwater and marine for as long as I can remember.
Current stocking: 170L, 100cm long tank
2 x clownfish
2 x firefish
3 x banggai cardinals
1 x tailspot blenny
1 x yellow watchman goby
1 x coral beauty.
Normal feeding regime is 2 or 3 x per day. 20% water change 1 x per week (but I think I will change this soon, water is "too clean". Nitrates only managed to get to about 5ppm after 7 days when I usually do my water change.
I am lucky to have a daughter who cares for my small fishy family members if I am gone. If she was not available I think I would consider koi. They go all winter without added food and lower temperatures. Just a thought for consideration. I hope to never have to make such a decision though and would not do so lightly.
Hi There, You seem to have regimen for not feeding long period of time 2x each year ... is that due to some fish/ hobby related or your vacation/ travel related? Also, do you mind share how big is your tank, what all do you have and what equipments do you have to support your tank? Also, what do you have to do when you return to re-nourish the fishes after 9 days of starvation? Any pictures before and after ...? If what you practice is ok then its very encouraging for hobbyist as I worry more about accidents of over feeding than starvation ... looking forward to your responses.
Hi There, Same questions for you - if you do not mind - can you share some details - how big is your tank, what all do you have and what equipments do you have to support your tank? Also, what do you have to do when you return to re-nourish the fishes after 10 days of starvation? Any pictures before and after ...? If what you practice is ok then its very encouraging for hobbyist as I worry more about accidents of over feeding than starvation ... looking forward to your responses.
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