How long without food

[moeldner]

I am going away for about 6 days in September, and was wondering if there was anything I could do to "prepare" my bettas for that long without food?

Would they survive?

We don't have anyone we really trust to actually feed them for us while away.

If they wont survive, we could probably track someone down who will at least feed them a few times while we are away, but no guarantees.

Tkaing them with us it not an option.

 

[wuvmybetta]

They'll be fine. I just left mine for five days last month and they all did fantastic. They actually looked fabulous when I came home

You can make sure you feed them nicely up until you leave, that way they're in tip top condition. That's about all you have to do.

 

[alabaster]

You shouldn't worry A BIT about going away for 6 days. As long as they are well-fed beforehand, and are healthy, this wont pose a problem. You could (not recommended) leave them without food for twice that long and they would almost certainly survive.

 

[aquagirl]

They can go like three and a half weeks... and then they die.

 

[moeldner]

Thanks for setting my mind at ease. Appreciate it.

In the lead up I was going to slightly increase their feeding. They currently get 2 pellets twice a day, and about once every 2-3 days, one of these meals is substitued with frozen bloodworms.

In the week before I leave, I might feed them an extra 2 pellets a day.

Does this sound OK?

 

[aquagirl]

Yep.

 

[moeldner]

Tanks all for the very quick replies.

 

[Dweenus]

well, today at my LFS I saw these little white cubes called vacation cubes. Supposedly your betta can live off of one for 2 months. I'm not about to try it though lol. XP Is it ok for my bettas to eat frozen bloodworms every day? thats all that they will eat!

 

[Alix]

dweenus. just fast him for acouple days(i know its hard not to feed them but TRY) an then offer 1 pellet. if he eats that add more
same thing happened with my newest betta

 

[Dweenus]

ok lol. so I guess it isnt good to feed 5 bloodworms to each everyt day? XP

 

[moeldner]

well, today at my LFS I saw these little white cubes called vacation cubes. Supposedly your betta can live off of one for 2 months. I'm not about to try it though lol. XP Is it ok for my bettas to eat frozen bloodworms every day? thats all that they will eat!

[snapback]861140[/snapback]​

I trust those vacation feeders about as far as I can throw a large truck.

I've been told by two very knowledgeable lfs operators (and I do trust these guys, they know what they are doing), that they are close to useless.

They tend to either not break down at all, or turn to mush in the tank and send your water quality on a rollercoaster.

They also said that there is not actually enough food in them to feed one fish for 2 days, let alone a tank full (for non-bettas), so I would be very wary of using them.

Happy to have this disputed if you have other information.

 

[Alix]

jus fatten them all up like your going to breed them the week b4 you go. they should turn out just fine.

 

[moeldner]

jus fatten them all up like your going to breed them the week b4 you go. they should turn out just fine.

[snapback]861172[/snapback]​

That's what I'll be doing,
was just responding with my thoughts on the vacation blocks.

 

[Alix]

oh.. great minds think alike...but i wouldnt come close to calling my mind great...maybe it was just a fluke