Maximum length of time fish can go without eating?

[FishDuJour]

Hello Everyone!!!

I am going on vacation for two weeks, and I need to figure something out.

How long can I possibly go without feeding the fish before they will, well, die?

I have two Cichlids, 5 inch Green Terror, and 3 inch Convict.

1) My neighbors are not an option to feed the fish, trust me on that one javascript:emoticon('')

2) Feeding machine doesn't work for me (DON'T ASK ABOUT THIS PLEASE).

Thanks!!!!!!

-FishDuJour

 

[Beerman]

I've gone a week several times between feedings for South American Cichlids because of work. Two weeks is pushing it. They'll live but will be pretty pissed at you when you return.

 

[Black Sails]

I've gone away for 4 or 5 days without feeding my fish. They're fine when I get back, but feast like voltures as soon as I drop some food in. I don't know about 2 weeks. Whatever you do, don't use those automatic feeders. Those things are garbage.

 

[fishfreek]

I belive part of it has to do with how well they are fead up until that point.

 

[wabyrd]

I don't think that 2 weeks is a good idea. I've gone 4-5 days several times in the past without any losses. They were VERY happy to see me when I got home though. I'd have someone feed the poor guys at least a few times while you're away. Not necessarily every day, but maybe 2 or 3 times during that week.

 

[fishfreek]

If you must have someone feed the fish its best to measure out the amount of food they are to feed and put it into seperate conainers. Then hide all the fish food in the house.

Fish sitters often overfead fish while people are away because they think they are hungery.

 

[Megalofyia]

I use dose containers for medicine and sort the food out in them. I also label each set of containers as to which tank it goes to. This seems to work very well for my friends who feed my fish when I go out of town. He does have a tendency to over feed otherwise.

 

[Allivymar]

Is there anyway to have someone come in 3-4 times to feed your guys? 2 weeks IS a pretty long time; I personally wouldn't go longer then a week, and my guys are horribly fat to begin with.

fishfreek and Megalofyia have a great suggestion. Providing separate portions controls how much your fish feeding friends put in. Medicine containers, small baggies, even those medicine vials are all good options.

 

[bchapbronc]

Last year during christmas break I went home from college for a month. So I bought an automatic feeder that could feed them for up to a month. It ended up pouring most of the food on top of the tank, but they got enough and were all fine when I got back.

 

[Megalofyia]

Fish Du Jour said that automatic feeders weren't an option though.

 

[TankGirl]

One week is okay, two weeks not. Your tank will suffer tremendously beyond a week, so you have to decide.

 

[finding nemo]

:x
I am ashamed of you! Those poor fish! How would you feel if someone didn't feed you for two weeks!
I personally feed my fish every couple of hours (the more the better I say). When I have the time I will sit and feed them continuously for about four hours. I love watching them feed. Everyone says that I act like one of those little old ladies that pamper their tiny dogs. But with my fish! They say that if I could tie little bows in their hair to make them cute, I would. Hmmm…
Here are the names of my fish:
Bubbles – girl fish (named after the Power Puff Girls)
Dory – boy fish (named after Finding Nemo)
Tiny- girl fish (my smallest fish)
Goldy- girl fish (she looks gold)
Bugs- boy fish (looks like a rabbit)
Capt’n Crunch- boy fish (he is the leader)
Fluffy- girl fish (has real fluffy fins)
I have a bunch more but there is not enough room here.
Anyway… You should find someone to feed your fish or take them with you on your trip. That’s my advice.


 

[fishfreek]

Feeding every couple hours truly is a bit excessive.

Fish can live very healthy lives feeding once or even every other day. Compairing fish to humans is not a very good compairson. Even compairing dogs and cats to humans is not very good given the amount of calories burned by a fish is substantially lower than those consumed by even dogs or cats let alone a person.

There are many creatures in the wild that eat on a very rare occasion.

While a full two week period with no food might be long if there are other things in the tank like live plants or algae its possible the fish could find 'alternate' means to sustain themselves.

I would rather see maybe an arrangment with a neighbor or trusted coworker where maybe every 3 or 4 days they come in and feed a pre defined amount of food. At this time they can also check on any fish deaths if they should occur and if so remove the fish from the tank to keep it from fouling the water and causing other problems.