How long can fish go without food?

notthatkindareefer · Dec 20, 2023

Two clowns and one fire fish. Wondering whether I should buy the crappy top fin auto feeder? Planning on being gone for 5 days.
I have already ordered an Ehiem auto feeder, just won’t be in for a month.

Anemone_Fanatic · Dec 20, 2023

5 days will absolutely be ok for the clowns, and maybe for the firefish. The more established the tank is, the older the fish are, and the populations of microfauna will all have an effect.

vlangel · Dec 20, 2023

It would help if a friend could stop in just once in the middle of the time to give your fish a good meal.

notthatkindareefer · Dec 20, 2023

Anemone_Fanatic said:
5 days will absolutely be ok for the clowns, and maybe for the firefish. The more established the tank is, the older the fish are, and the populations of microfauna will all have an effect.

Tank is roughly 4 months old, not very mature.

notthatkindareefer · Dec 20, 2023

vlangel said:
It would help if a friend could stop in just once in the middle of the time to give your fish a good meal.

No one in town that I am really friendly enough with that I would trust leaving a key to my apartment for, but this will always be my first choice.

Red_Beard · Dec 20, 2023

They will be fine. Ive left my firefish/clowns 5 days no probs. Feed a little more frequently for a few days before you leave and hit them when you get back. No problem

Red_Beard · Dec 20, 2023

Fwiw i now use the eheim feeder that dumps into a piece of acrylic tube to get the food to stay in the tank and not just dump down the overflow. That works great and i dont have to stress out that my fish are going full roadwarrior while im out.

vlangel · Dec 20, 2023

notthatkindareefer said:
No one in town that I am really friendly enough with that I would trust leaving a key to my apartment for, but this will always be my first choice.

I understand. It's not always possible to live near someone who can help.

I have an eheim flake feeder that I used while I was out of town 23 days this past summer. I did have my sister and son each stop in once a week but my fish and tank did fine while I was gone. That feeder works great.

bakbay · Dec 20, 2023

notthatkindareefer said:
Two clowns and one fire fish. Wondering whether I should buy the crappy top fin auto feeder? Planning on being gone for 5 days.
I have already ordered an Ehiem auto feeder, just won’t be in for a month.

I would make sure the support level is ok for those 5 days. For example, do you have an ATO to handle evaporation, temp control, flow, etc if you’re not home.

notthatkindareefer · Dec 21, 2023

Red_Beard said:
Fwiw i now use the eheim feeder that dumps into a piece of acrylic tube to get the food to stay in the tank and not just dump down the overflow. That works great and i dont have to stress out that my fish are going full roadwarrior while im out.

vlangel said:
I understand. It's not always possible to live near someone who can help.

I have an eheim flake feeder that I used while I was out of town 23 days this past summer. I did have my sister and son each stop in once a week but my fish and tank did fine while I was gone. That feeder works great.

Thanks for sharing! I see some at an LFS on the coast so I am glad I chose that brand!

notthatkindareefer · Dec 21, 2023

bakbay said:
I would make sure the support level is ok for those 5 days. For example, do you have an ATO to handle evaporation, temp control, flow, etc if you’re not home.

I have an ATO of course, and plan on doing a 10% water change before I leave just to be safe!

FrugalReefer · Dec 21, 2023

Your fish will be fine but I’d be more worried about corals if you have any.

Idech · Dec 21, 2023

They can go 5 days without eating but I’m sure they’d rather not !

I would get the crappy auto-feeder.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Dec 21, 2023

Idech said:
They can go 5 days without eating but I’m sure they’d rather not !

I would get the crappy auto-feeder.

same here

Gill the 3rd · Dec 21, 2023

They will be fine as others have mentioned. When I know I'm going to be away for a while, I feed heavy the week or two before to really fatten them up. Then I do a water change before I go.

CasperOe · Dec 21, 2023

It will be fine- but I don't get why? A decent auto feeder costs next to nothing

You wouldn't go away for five days and not feed your dog - why your fish? We have pets. We are obliged to care for these pets the best we can.

Get that auto feeder, and care for your fish please!

Merry Christmas!

am3gross · Dec 21, 2023

CasperOe said:
It will be fine- but I don't get why? A decent auto feeder costs next to nothing You wouldn't go away for five days and not feed your dog - why your fish? We have pets. We are obliged to care for these pets the best we can.

Get that auto feeder, and care for your fish please!

Merry Christmas!

I thought I was the only one thinking this, LOL!!

My fish cant go a day with out food, every time I walk up to the tank they swim to me thinking they are getting fed. Of course my local LFS has told me my fish need to go on a diet..

CasperOe · Dec 21, 2023

am3gross said:
I thought I was the only one thinking this, LOL!!

My fish cant go a day with out food, every time I walk up to the tank they swim to me thinking they are getting fed. Of course my local LFS has told me my fish need to go on a diet..

Exactly!! They are always hungry and gets almost offended if you don't drop in a wee pinch of food whenever you pass the tank

It's like your dog wanting a treat when you come home after going anywhere! My fish are my pets- they are a part of the family just as much as my three dogs are!

Gill the 3rd · Dec 21, 2023

am3gross said:
I thought I was the only one thinking this, LOL!!

My fish cant go a day with out food, every time I walk up to the tank they swim to me thinking they are getting fed. Of course my local LFS has told me my fish need to go on a diet..

Fair and good point, but just to offer another perspective - There are many fish that do not eat flake or pellets. For example I feed primarily frozen food to my tank since I have some puffers and other fish that will only eat frozen. A auto feeder wont help with that (maybe that will change one day). There's also the possibility of auto feeders failing and dumping a whole bunch of food in the tank.

All that being said, given the fish that the OP has and how cheap auto feeders are nowadays, its not a bad idea to invest in one.

am3gross · Dec 21, 2023

CasperOe said:
Exactly!! They are always hungry and gets almost offended if you don't drop in a wee pinch of food whenever you pass the tank

It's like your dog wanting a treat when you come home after going anywhere! My fish are my pets- they are a part of the family just as much as my three dogs are!

Dont want to hi jack this thread, but this is what a happy fish looks like, LOL!!!