Tetra Weekend feeding block

[gilpi]

None of my fish, mostly cichlids don't even get near it. I thought I'd try it since I was gone for 4 days (I know fish can survive fine even a couple of weeks without food) but wanted to try it anyway just in case I ever need to go away for a long period of time.
Anyone had experience with this?

 

[Ichthys]

Don’t do it. It’s a pressed powder, a big lump of food that you can’t control when you’re not there. Your fish will be safer without it.

 

[Archerfish]

Gilpi, you are correct, the fear fish will starve if not fed for a couple of days is nonsense. In nature, the food fairy doesn't come twice daily yet, most fish food labels say to feed twice daily. Whatever. You are best off having a trusted friend or fellow aquarist feed the fish if you are leaving for more than a couple of days.

 

[10 Tanks]

None of my fish, mostly cichlids don't even get near it. I thought I'd try it since I was gone for 4 days (I know fish can survive fine even a couple of weeks without food) but wanted to try it anyway just in case I ever need to go away for a long period of time.
Anyone had experience with this?

Hello gilpi. Yes. I used something like you're talking about. That was several years ago and the fish were less than impressed. The stuff just fell apart in the tank. Luckily, the food block was small and I don't keep tanks smaller than 45 gallons, so there wasn't a water chemistry issue. I'd recommend just feeding a little more a few days before you leave and then the day before you leave, perform a bit larger water change. Your fish can live off a little fat they gain and will be fine while you're away. The best part, you come home to a much cleaner tank.

10 Tanks

 

[sharkweek178]

Gilpi, you are correct, the fear fish will starve if not fed for a couple of days is nonsense. In nature, the food fairy doesn't come twice daily yet, most fish food labels say to feed twice daily. Whatever. You are best off having a trusted friend or fellow aquarist feed the fish if you are leaving for more than a couple of days.

If it's someone who doesn't keep fish, I leave pre-measured portions for them to feed the fish. People who don't keep fish are prone to overfeeding.

 

[gilpi]

Thanks for all the quick replies. Definitely will pass on this.

 

[seangee]

Another factor is that if your water is even slightly acidic it will dissolve way to quickly and foul the tank which could lead to an ammonia spike.

 

[GaryE]

It's a block of something along the lines of calcium that has food mixed in. As it dissolves, it releases food. They were huge sellers before we figured out how fish eat, and how they can go days without food.

I used many of them, and now use none. All they accomplished was adding hardness to the tanks.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Agree with all of the above, food "blocks" = waste of $, and more often than not, foul the tank water