How long betta fish can stay without food? There are actually too many factors to give a specific answer and the simplest way to answer this is by saying… it depends on your individual Siamese fighting fish. So let’s break it down a bit.
Simple how long betta fish can stay without food?
Put first, an alternative to starving your fish…
Vacation Feeders (Slow Released Food)
If you’re asking this question because you’re going on vacation, you can actually buy slow release foods. (Some include: Zoo Med Betta fish Banquet Blocks and Penn Plax PBV1 7-Day Vacation Fish Feeder) These are really great to have around the house as some of them last 2-weeks and will easily keep your fish friend fed! It’s much better to be safe than sorry. No one wants to come home to a sick, or worse, dead fish! Now, slow release foods aren’t perfect, and there have been complaints that sometimes they release too much food (that will either overfeed your fish and create too much ammonia inside of the tank) and there have always been complaints that they may not release any food at all. Of course, this is caused by factory defects, which is unavoidable, unfortunately. I would recommend trying these feeders out a few days before you leave to make sure it’s releasing the proper amount of food for your fish. It’s also important to try slow feeders in advance, since your Bettas may be picky about the types of food it eats… leading us to the next option….
Timed Feeders
Although a bit more expensive, these feeders can be filled with any betta fish pellets or freeze-dried food your Betta is used to. Just fill the compartments and it will slowly rotate feeding your Betta a couple times a day. Some of the top rated ones include Eheim Battery Operated Auto Fish Feeder and Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder.
Factors that change how much your fish needs to be fed
Water Temperature
Since our swimmers are cold-blooded, their metabolism correlates to the water temperature. Fish that are kept in warmer temperatures have a higher metabolism, so they must be fed more frequently, as fish kept in colder temperatures have to be fed less. So, since Bettas are tropical fish, it’s safe to assume that they can’t last very long without food (although skipping a few days is fine, especially if you are starving once a week for bladder health.)
Tank Size
If you have a larger tank, your Betta is getting much more exercise. If your tank is around 10 gallons, you may be able to get away with a couple days of not feeding your Betta, but you definitely want to make sure your Betta is getting the nutrition it needs to survive. Remember “surviving” and thriving are two very different things, and your Betta will live a longer and healthier life if given proper care.
How long does it take for a Betta to starve?
Bettas usually begin starving around 5 days. This is when the first signs of survival mode kick in and the Betta will begin using its reserve to stay alive. Wild Bettas are usually surrounded by food, and so they usually don’t have to starve or wait to eat. With this in mind, it would actually benefit your Betta to eat a couple times a day, similar to feeding other animals.
The disadvantages of betta fish that have not eaten for many days
- Energy depletion fast — No food is like a car without gas, running slowly and sluggishly, pulse rate is low
- Low immunity — Weak body, susceptible to viral and bacterial infections
- Extreme stress — Betta fish are stressed, blood sugar is low, brain may go out of calm mode
- Slow growth or not growing at all — Growth stops, cells repair themselves less
- Changes in behavior — Depressed, not swimming or playing in water like before, may hide all the time
- Lack of important nutrients — Various systems in the body are disrupted
- Recovery ability is reduced — Wounds or pain heal more slowly
- Easier to die — If fasting is too long, risk of death is high
- Reduced reproductive ability — Male or female Betta fish may have less energy to lay eggs or protect eggs
- Abnormal metabolism — When they get food again, the body may not handle it properly, becoming more stressed
Starving your betta fish is a shortcut to disaster. It doesn’t make them stronger, but its body is telling you “stop it. Don’t torture me.” Don’t starve it for too long!
How can fix after betta fish can stay without food many days?
Betta fish not eating for several days is not a small matter. We have to ask the question like a detective and a poet at the same time… Why doesn’t it eat? We have to deal with it like this:
Check the water condition first — dirty water, waste water, the fish will be bored, definitely won’t eat. Change the water to new, fresh, clean, adjust the pH value to be in the appropriate range (6.5-7.5), the temperature is around 26-28°C.
The environment around the fish must be calm — Don’t turn on bright lights or loud noises. Stressed Betta fish will immediately shut their mouths.
Change the food variety — Bored of pellet food? Try giving frozen shrimp, bloodworms or aquatic insects to stimulate the appetite.
Feed a little at a time, but often — The fish will not feel too full, afraid of becoming fat or stressed from a heavy stomach.
Check for symptoms of illness or parasites — If the fish can’t eat because they are sick, they must be separated and treated specifically.
Reduce stress from catching or moving — Let the fish rest for 1-2 days before trying new food.
Use the method of “feeding by hand” or “dropping food into the fish’s mouth” — Sometimes the fish need extra stimulation.
Add vitamins or recovery medicine — If there is a formula for Betta fish, it will help the fish have the motivation to eat.
Don’t force them to eat too much — otherwise, their intestines will be damaged, leading to a new and more complicated disease.
If everything doesn’t work, consult a fish expert immediately — so that they can make a proper diagnosis and not let their fish suffer.
Simply put, betta fish are like humans. They don’t eat because they are stressed or sick. We must be kind doctors, take care of them, and not let them suffer. We must observe them closely so that we can detect problems in time!
What to do if you find out your betta fish has been starving for days during shipping
If you know that your betta fish has not eaten for several days during shipping, this is a common occurrence when you order fish from Asia. The fish may have not eaten for several days during shipping, even though the shop usually prepares the betta fish very well. However, there can be problems because each betta fish is not equally healthy.
Let’s see how we can handle the betta fish that has arrived when we know that the fish has not eaten for several days.
- Prepare recovery equipment and food — Feed the fish easy-to-digest, non-heavy food, such as small pellets or frozen shrimp thawed in water.
- Create a safe environment — the water must be clean, the temperature must be stable and not fluctuating, or else it will be more stressful than starvation.
- Let your fish rest quietly — avoid bright lights and loud noises to avoid further stress.
- Observe the symptoms closely — see if the fish is still eating, swimming normally, or is lethargic. If it is bad, you need to separate it.
- Supplement with vitamins/supplements if available — to help restore immunity and other systems
- Add a little Indian almond leaf to help him. If the water has a tea color, it is considered usable.
- Stay calm and don’t panic — the fighting fish is still okay. If we can help it in time, it will recover well.
Summary how long betta fish can stay without food?
How long a betta fish can stay without eating? Generally, a betta fish can live for about 5 days before it enters survival mode and uses up its energy reserves. In a higher temperature environment, the fish will burn more energy, so it should be fed more often. If you have to travel far, use an automatic feeder or ask someone to take care of it. Leaving a betta fish without food for a long time can have negative effects on its health, so avoid letting it go without food for too long.
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