Starving fish.

[bigspizz]

I have read a few people say that fish can go months with no feeding. I would love to know how this is done. What is the longest your method(s) works? I have heard some ridiculous numbers like 4-5 months.....could this really be true?

 

[Nabbig2]

It probably is true. It truely depends on what kind of fish, the age, and how well it's treated. Once I had feeder guppies that were a week old, and they went without food for 2 weeks! So imagine how long some big cichlid could go without food.

 

[Dr Joe]

It depends on the environment too. Fish will eat whatever is available to survive...algae, plants, anything that's even partially digestible. Some of the stories are exaggerated or don't give all the circumstances.

Dr Joe

.

 

[toehead11183]

i dont go more than 7-10 days

 

[Angel51087]

i like to give my fish a break every 3-4 days but they only fast for a day. i would leave them no longer than 10 days without though; just coz I would feel bad lol

 

[reefkeep18]

If you have agressive fish do not hold back on feeding them as they will become more agressive towards there tankmates.

 

[Eupterus]

I doubt it would take months for them to starve.

 

[Red Devil]

My last full grown arowana went off food for 5 weeks ... he fasted himself.. we tried everyday to feed him something but he flatly refused..after 5 weeks he was finally coaxed with eating crickets and then once he did that we had him back on pellets in no time.. but he did not look any different or act any different..still swam and exercised as much.. Never could figure out why..but i learned that they can go a long time with out eating if they have to..

 

[cichlaguapote]

It depends on the environment too. Fish will eat whatever is available to survive...algae, plants, anything that's even partially digestible. Some of the stories are exaggerated or don't give all the circumstances.

Dr Joe

.

And age of fish with many species smaller fish need to eat often, while larger of the same specie seemed to have packed enough weight on that they can go for a while without eating and still be ok.

 

[M|L]

It's true. That doesn't mean the person who owns the fish deliberately denied the fish of food, but when the fish stubbornly wouldn't eat what is being offered... until months and months later.

Large, previously well-fed fish can go for a very long time without food, especially sluggish ambush predators that doesn't move much, therefore, conserving lots of energy.

Think of it like this, a fish not eating for a week is you not eating for a day.