Feeding Guppies While on Holidays

**mwow** · 08-10-2012, 11:27 PM

Hi everyone,

We have had our first tank for almost two months, and are leaving on holidays for 5 days. We have a 5 gallon tank with 3 guppies (tank has a filter and heater, and one live plant), and I am planning on doing a 25% water change right before we leave.

We do not have anyone who can feed the fish while we are away. I have been reading about the feeding blocks, and I am wondering about whether this is something we can safely rely on while we're away. I've read in many different forums that guppies can go over a week without feeding, but I just don't feel right about doing this (seems cruel).

Could anyone provide their thoughts/comments? It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

**rastoma** · 08-11-2012, 12:03 AM

Best choice other than have someone you know go in and feed them, is to get one of those feeder blocks. Yes they are safe to use. They won't gorge themselves on it, but it's better than no food for 5 days.

But if you have someone you trust to feed them, they would only need to go there twice.... or even just once. Have them drop by 2 days after you leave. And you'll be back in 3 days after that? 3 days is fine and not cruel. They'll be hungry when you get back but 3 days won't hurt 'em one bit.

**Ptrick125** · 08-11-2012, 1:43 AM

A healthy fish can go up to a week (or more) without food, and if your only going to be gone for 3 days your fish should be fine. If you want to feed them I suggest you pre-measure your food and put them in plastic bags, then someone can come by and empty the bag...

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**excuzzzeme** · 08-11-2012, 3:59 AM

Most fish can go a month without food. Do a 50% water change before you leave and a 50% the day you get back. Feed the morning you leave and let it go at that or use a block feeder.

Seriously, 5 days without food is not cruel and will not endanger their lives. When I have mouth brooders, they generally wont eat for around 28 days. I haven't lost any of this group. Feeder blocks may cloud your water since they are held together with plaster-of-paris most of the time.

**countryboy** · 08-11-2012, 8:14 AM

+1 FB. Over feeding would be more dangerous than not feeding for 5 days. Think of it as a fasting period necessary for the health of your fish. A good clean out period.

**vwill279** · 08-11-2012, 8:23 AM

I too recommend that you just not feed them. When going away, always plan for the worst. By this I mean whenever I leave for a trip and cant have someone check on the fish, I plan for the power being out the entire time. The less they eat, the less they poop and if something should happen on your trip where you cant get back in time, it is better and safer for them to not have food to eat than it is for the water to get cloudy or have ammonia or nutrient spikes if the power goes out and you lose your filtration. That said, I have fry so I always hire a cousin or someone to come feed every day and check to make sure that everything is working. I have also trained said cousin on what to do should the power go out or a piece of equipment stops working. Yay for minions!

I commonly fast most of my fish 1-2 days a week. It is good for them to clear out their digestive tracts. In the wild, many fish will go days without eating so it is more natural for the fish. The only fish that I feed religiously every day at least once are my fry and my otos when I had them.

**jm1212** · 08-11-2012, 9:23 AM

block feeders are unreliable besides their ability to dangerously overfeed the fish. as the other have said, you're better off just leaving the fish until you get back.

**nerdyrcdriver** · 08-11-2012, 9:35 AM

I know you probably dont want to but just dont feed them. Do a 50% wc before you leave and feed them if you want. Then when you get back do a 50% wc and get back to your normal feeding. Putting a feeding block in the tank is like leaving a mcdonalds cheeseburger in a bucket of water. The end result is not pretty and can sometimes be a pain to clean out.

**Wren** · 08-11-2012, 10:42 PM

I'm going to put in another vote for not feeding them. The feeder blocks can/will pollute the water, and you have no idea if the fish will even eat the food that is released. So now you are gone and the tank is foul. I think that is far crueler than a few hungry days.

Do the water change before you leave and feed before you leave, but make it a SMALL feeding. Overfeeding right before you leave is a disaster waiting to happen also. You can't make up for the days you will be gone by giving a huge feeding at the last minute, so don't even try it!

When I am gone for a couple weeks, I pack up small feedings in single serving packs and have someone come by just a couple times over the whole two weeks.

A dedicated fry tank would need daily feeding, but a few fry in a community tank will be ok, unless their hungrier tank mates decide to eat them!

wren