how many days can a betta go without food?

[boozybears]

Hi all! I'll be away at a conference from Wed-Sat next week. We just found out that my husband might also be away next week for work. So... I now need to know will a betta be ok without food for 2 full days? I can feed him Wed morning before I leave and Saturday afternoon when I return, but no one will be here Thurs or Fri.

Any ideas? I don't have anyone who can come in to feed him either.

thanks!

~edited for bad grammar

 

[flautist]

mine have gone two days without food before, and I know a lot of people here have their bettas at work alone without food Sat. or Sun. They should be fine.

 

[Whiskerz]

Yes, they should be fine

 

[MegTheFish]

Bettas can go a LONG time without food. Even months (not that I would recomend letting them go without food for that long...)

 

[Kiarra]

They start to suffer after about three weeks, I believe. They don't have the desperate need for a high caloric diet like warm-blooded animals do. But you can easily leave them for two days without food. They may act like they're starving to death (when do they NOT?), but they'll be just fine.

 

[boozybears]

Thanks guys! I feel better now!

And yes, Kiarra.. mine acts like he's starving to death every minute of the day! The little piggie.

 

[nashnutny]

I'm worried about that one too. I'll be gone for 5 days but they will be without food for 4 days. I think the adults will be okay but I worry about the babies. I'm planting the tanks heavily and still trying to find someone to come in for those couple of days.

 

[Kinda Fishey]

Your fish won't starve in two days , or even a week. I would resist the urge to overfeed them the day you leave though. If you overfeed and the water fouls you won't be there to take care of it .
Good Luck
KF