How long can they go without feeding?

quasar · Sep 30, 2013

Ok so here's the story. Next summer i have to go back to Italy for one of my cousins weddings. It'll be my girlfriends first time there so I'll be staying for a little longer then just the wedding, say 2-3 weeks. The problem is my parents and lil brother are coming too which means there will be nobody home with my fish. Although its a year down the line i need to plan now or else this can be a disaster. So far i have 2 friends that will come over to feed the fish. Problem is one owns a company and the other lives 30m away by car so they cant come that often. I figure with the less frequent feeding itll slow down the need for a WC, normally i do a 40% change once a week.

So hopefully im only gone for 2 weeks. My tank has a polypterus endlicheri (10"), a hoplias malabaricus(12"), an oscar(13"), and a clarius bathracus(8" now but by then lets say 12/13).

Right now i feed every second day, how long would i be able to make them wait per feeding while im gone. I know technically they can all go about a month with no food and survive, but that would be on their own, in this scenario somebody (prob the wolf) will get creative with the menu. So i was wondering if u guys think its possible to feed every 3/4 days for these fish? I could maybe start gettin them used to every 3 day feedings so that every 4 isnt a big push, but im worried that starving them more will put the aggression over the edge. What do you guys think i can do?

Also an auto feeder wont work due to the wolf fish and endlis diet having shrimps and tilapia in it.

Thank you for any help

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Pole · Sep 30, 2013

tank size? u could maybe separate them and u have a year, which means u can start breeding healthy feeder fish like guppies that can reproduce, and provide hiding places for em

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quasar · Sep 30, 2013

Pole said:
tank size? u could maybe separate them and u have a year, which means u can start breeding healthy feeder fish like guppies that can reproduce, and provide hiding places for em

The tank is a 90g. Theres currently 4 pots and a log that they hide in lol. Unfortunately the guppies thing would require almost hundreds of guppies to hopfuly work. U saw the sizes:s
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strollo22 · Sep 30, 2013

Those fish can easily go for weeks without eating. The tank is too small now, and will be way to small a year from which also affects the water levels. Best thing to do would be to have them fed once per week while you're away. Is one of your friends able to do a water change?

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Ash · Sep 30, 2013

I would agree the size and number of fish to the size of the tank is what's working against you. You have a solid year, I +1 stollo's suggestion. Can they do a water change? If not can you train one of your friends to do a water change? You have a year I would imagine they could pick it up by that time. Really with a year out, can you also save money for a larger tank? I would look into that too. If you are concerned about aggression - the more space and areas to hide the better. The fish not being fed as often shouldn't be to much of an issue. You can do a water change right before you leave, then maybe after the second feeding have a friend do a second water change. Other wise I would just feed once a week.

Aquanero · Sep 30, 2013

^ sound advise. Once a week feeding will keep waste low and a good bio-filter should be able to keep up with it. A small 25% WC even once while your away and every one should be good when you get back.

quasar · Sep 30, 2013

Perhaps one of my friends can pull off a WC while im gone. As for the tank my issue isnt money its my family. My parents wont let me get a 6'x2' tank

.

If worst comes to worse, which pains me to think this. Which fish should i remove to balance the fish to aquarium ratio

?

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Pole · Sep 30, 2013

quasar said:
Perhaps one of my friends can pull off a WC while im gone. As for the tank my issue isnt money its my family. My parents wont let me get a 6'x2' tank .

If worst comes to worse, which pains me to think this. Which fish should i remove to balance the fish to aquarium ratio ?

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scrap that, overfilter it. add a couple extra filters. plus I disagree with training a friend to do a water change, its easy to forget to add a dechlorinater or another silly mis-hap- I would not risk it.

trace · Sep 30, 2013

quasar said:
Ok so here's the story. Next summer i have to go back to Italy for one of my cousins weddings. It'll be my girlfriends first time there so I'll be staying for a little longer then just the wedding, say 2-3 weeks. The problem is my parents and lil brother are coming too which means there will be nobody home with my fish. Although its a year down the line i need to plan now or else this can be a disaster. So far i have 2 friends that will come over to feed the fish. Problem is one owns a company and the other lives 30m away by car so they cant come that often. I figure with the less frequent feeding itll slow down the need for a WC, normally i do a 40% change once a week.

So hopefully im only gone for 2 weeks. My tank has a polypterus endlicheri (10"), a hoplias malabaricus(12"), an oscar(13"), and a clarius bathracus(8" now but by then lets say 12/13).

Right now i feed every second day, how long would i be able to make them wait per feeding while im gone. I know technically they can all go about a month with no food and survive, but that would be on their own, in this scenario somebody (prob the wolf) will get creative with the menu. So i was wondering if u guys think its possible to feed every 3/4 days for these fish? I could maybe start gettin them used to every 3 day feedings so that every 4 isnt a big push, but im worried that starving them more will put the aggression over the edge. What do you guys think i can do?

Also an auto feeder wont work due to the wolf fish and endlis diet having shrimps and tilapia in it.

Thank you for any help

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

If it's a year out, that will give you plenty of time to pellet train every fish in there. Get them on pellets even if you have a friend feed them. It will create less waste and they won't have to be fed as much to get their nutrients. They really could go for two weeks without food but aggression will likely tick up as they get hungrier.

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quasar · Oct 1, 2013

So i should go for 1nce a week feedings? How do i do this? Do i slowly wean to every 3 days, then 4 etc.?

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