12 Days Without Feeding Fish?

[Katty]

So it's spring break and I'm going home tomorrow morning, and leaving my tank in my dorm room over break, so the tank will be alone for 12 days. I might possibly be able to come by my dorm later next week to feed the fishes, but otherwise they're totally on their own. I've read fish can live 1-2 weeks without food, but I'm starting to have second thoughts if I should try to find someone to feed them over break, or visit campus more often to feed them (It's an hour away from home). What do you think? Is 12 days OK for them to be without food?

It's a 20 gallon planted tank, with a keyhole cichlid, green neons, corydoras, and otocinclus.

 

[KISSfn]

If it were me, I would make at least one trip back to check on them since it's only an hour drive.

 

[Noahs ark6]

Fish can go a while without food, but 12 days may be pushing it.
You can buy holiday feeding blocks which slowly release food like this, but it's likely your lfs will sell them

 

[CezzaXV]

I'd be more inclined to leave them than use one of the holiday blocks. The constant supply of food means you might come back to all sorts of nasties in your tank.

Noah is right though in that 12 days may be pushing it. You can buy automatic feeders that you load up with flakes beforehand, see here. http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/automatic-fish-feeders.asp That's a British site, but you should have no trouble finding something in the US if there's nobody around to feed your fish once or twice. If you're a student and going home for the holidays often, might not be a bad idea to invest in one of these.

 

[Katty]

I was considering an automatic feeder, but seeing as I have a day left and no car... It's a little too late now.

I've heard too many bad things about the vacation blocks, and I could just imagine my keyhole cichlid trying to eat the whole thing in one go or at least make a mess trying

I think I'll ask one of my friends if they can feed them for me. If not, I'll come by at least once and feed them, hopefully that'll be alright.

 

[CezzaXV]

Shame you can't get hold of one of them in time, but it might be worth trying to get one anyway for future trips away.

A friend of a friend used a holiday block in their tank. Came back home to find one of the fish had died from swallowing the whole thing when it became small enough.

 

[Katty]

Ah! Good news! I found a friend (who also keeps fish) to come in and feed them every other day.
Thanks guys

 

[smokeyjo]

Yeah I'd say 12 days woyld be pushing it. As for the feeding blocks I stay well away especially seeing as my red eyes have a bad case of their eyes are too big for their bellys. When I feed my pleco his algae wafer they fight over it to pick it up and swim off with it lol

 

[Man of fish]

With my fish could I leave mine for 5 or 6 days? Don't wanna hijack but as you've solved your problem I hope you don't mind.

 

[Katty]

No problem go ahead.

I've left these guys in here without food for a week, with no problems. I think 5-6 days is pretty safe, with healthy fish.

 

[Man of fish]

I've done 3 days but idk if my fry can last 6 w/o food. May be tempted to buy an auto feeder and move all the fry to my main tank.

 

[Joanne_]

In my opinion, adult fish, yes 5 - 6 days would be okay But fry ? I wouldn't leave them without food / water changes for that long.

 

[Man of fish]

They're about 6 mos. old

 

[Joanne_]

Oh, well they should be fine then