Do fish need to be fed every day to survive? What can I do if I need to go somewhere for a weekend?

Question

I know they need food. But is there any way to make sure they're taken care of if I need to spend two nights away from my room? I'm a college student living in a single room, so I can't ask anyone to take care of it.

Answer 1

I did this, I've got the perfect solution. In the pet store there is a device, an automatic feeder that you put a battery in and it turns like a clock and dumps in the food once every 12 hours. Put the food in and set the feeder on "minimum" (b/c you don't want to overfeed them.) I went away for 10 days once with this attached to my aquarium and they stayed alive and happy!!!
If you are only gone for a weekend, then you don't have to feed them (according to the guy in the pet store.) don't use those "weekend feeder" things that dissolve in there.
Oh, here's the gadget that worked for me:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=8118&N=2004+112973
It's a great little device, but try it out on your tank for a few days before leaving, so that you can make sure you have the settings right and nice and secure so it doesn't fall off

Answer 2

Found this answer else where that might be useful:

Living in a watery environment has its advantages - fish don't have to wait for you to give them a drink. As for food, freshwater fish are quite capable of going for several days without a meal. In fact, healthy adult fish can go for a week or two without feeding. That doesn't mean you should routinely skip feedings, however your fish can safely be left without food over a long holiday weekend. However, keep in mind that food is not the only concern when going away.

Aquarium water temperature should remain fairly constant, and the lights turned off at night and on in the morning. Lighting is easy to handle by purchasing a timer. No need to get a fancy one, just something that will turn the aquairum lights on and off once each day. I'd put the light on a timer and leave it that way all the time. That way your fish have a standard day/night cycle, and you have one less thing to do each day.

Elevated aquarium temperature is only a concern if the room temperature is in danger of rising very high. Fish are accustomed to cyclic changes in temperature, but if the change is dramatic the stress will make them susceptible to disease (not to mention the fact that high temps tend to cook your fish). Set your air conditioning to kick in if the room temperature rises above 80, and your fish will be quite comfortable while you are away. If you do not have air conditioning, it is wise to arrange for someone to come in and check the fish in the event of a heat wave.

Another important factor is the physical condition of your fish. Just before leaving examine them to ensure that none of them appear to be sick. If you notice any abnormalities, consult a fish shop before leaving. Otherwise you risk coming home to an aquarium of sick or dying fish.

Answer 3

As far as those feeding blocks go, they do foul the water, but as long as their used wisely it won't be to any harmful effect. The thing about these feeders is that they are primarily useless filler to make it slowly dissolve - nutritional level in them is so small that it's not worth using.

Any fish except small fry can go days without food. Most adult fish can go weeks if they're healthy from the start. The fish I'm prone to are mouthbrooders - they hold the fry in their mouths for three to four weeks without eating, and do this quite regularily. Now, these fish have evolved to handle this, but the point is a weekend is nothing for a fish to go without food, so you don't have to worry about it.

If you are really worried, or going away for an extended period, then the electronic feeder is a much better option then those useless food blocks.

Answer 4

They'll be fine. Fish don't need to eat every day to survive. As long as you'e feeding them regularly to begin with, they'll do fine over the weekend. I've had to leave my fish over thanksgiving and christmas breaks for 3 years. I've neve had a fatality, and Christmas break is 2 weeks long. They are just well fed before hand and after. Fish don't have the same type of metabolism as mammals, and many will eat algae that will grow too if they need to. I wouldn't recommend leaving them for 2 weeks, but I had no other option really, and it worked out. A weekend will definately not be a problem.

Another option some may suggest are these vacation feederes they sell that are supposed to slowly release over a few days. These scare me. I've heard horror stories of them totally messing up the water quality and killing the fish. I think they'd be better off being left alone than being left with a food that may or may not poison them.

you can also get an automatic feeder, but they tend to be kind of expensive, and aren't really necessary. I've never found a need to use them and I've been keeping healthy tropical fish for 3 years. You definately don't need one for over the weekend.

Answer 5

I don't think it will be a problem at all . I read in a aquarium book from the library that fish can go up to 2 weeks without food.
Alternatively if you are worried, you can use vaction feeders or if your fish eat plants, you could put in a couple of live aquarium plants in the tank so that the fish can eat them over the weekend.

Answer 6

Most fish will be fine without food for 2 or 3 days. Do not put extra food in before you leave. You can get weekend food blocks and drop 1 in when you leave. It will slowly dissolve. It really depends on what kind and size fish it is.

Answer 7

Save your money on buying a feeder. I wouldn't feed them extra unless it was a few extra times not extra amounts at a feeding (you don't want extra waste). I have gone on vacation for a week without feeding fish. I also had a fish that was fed on vacation and killed by heavily polluted water with extra food on the bottom (fed by pet keeper) I've also read that your fish have a better chance to die of over feeding than under feeding, and I bought food that said it would take a fish 30 days to starve to death.
So they will be fine.

Answer 8

I've never heard any stories of "vacation feeders" fouling the water or killing the fish. Nor has it happened to me and I've used them plenty of times.
Every place that sells live fish will have them and they aren't expensive. They have small ones that are designed for the weekend and larger ones that are supposed to last several days. I suggest you go get some, drop one in the aquarium and go away for the weekend knowing that your fish will be fine.

Answer 9

There will be no problem.Fishes,in the wild do not get a daily income of food.They can fast for a few days.As you said that you r going out for 2 nights so there will be no problem.Fishes in the wild starve sometimes for weeks.I know this as I have kept fish for 4 years.

Answer 10

As long as its only 2 or 3 days you would probably be okay, try conditioning them for this amount of time by only feeding them every other day for the week before you go, that way it won't be as much of a shock when it goes a couple extra.