How Long Can Betta Fish Go Without Food

Betta fish is most popular with its beautiful, vibrant colors and flowing fins. Betta fish is considered an easy-to-keep fish with an adequate tank and other basic requirements. But, if you want to go on vacation and leave your betta fish behind, it will worry you about its survival. You might be thinking that, how long can betta fish go without food? well we have explained in detail below.

Though it is a hardy fish, it needs essentials to survive. Bettas are picky eaters and hold small stomachs of their eye size. Bettas are carnivores and rely on insects and brine shrimps.

It is generally asked how many days betta can survive without taking food. An average betta can survive about 10 to 15 days without eating food. But, it is not recommended to leave your Betta for so many days as it will affect their general health, and they can die eventually.

It also varies for different Bettas according to their size and general health. A good-sized healthy betta living in a filtered and large aquarium will survive longer than one smaller in size and suffer health issues.

However, if you leave your Betta for about two weeks without supervision, you must feed it well with a proper diet and all the required nutrients. You should clean the tank and adjust the required temperature.

Otherwise, your Betta may die before two weeks without food. Still, it is always better to make another way for your Betta to have food when you are not home for many days.

Don’t Leave Your Betta Fish Without Feeding – You Can Opt Four Options

Though bettas can survive up to 2 weeks without food, it is not advised to leave them for this long. After a week, it starts using its fat reserves, which causes starvation, organ damage, and many health problems.

If your bettas are not mature, it will make the situation worse, as they haven’t developed their fat reserves. So, it is advised to use alternate ways to keep your Betta fed when you are on vacation. Here are four ways you can use to keep your betta safe while going on vacation:

Mechanical auto feeder

A mechanical auto feeder is a device that automatically feeds the fish at a selected time. You can say that it can control the fish-feeding activity using a device that combines electrical and mechanical systems. It is used to feed the fish instead of manually feeding them fish.

You can check Automatic Fish Feeder.

This device is really helpful for people who want to go on a vacation, leaving their fish behind. This device consists of a stand, fish storage, motor, GSM (Global System for Mobile), and a PLC (Programmable Logic Circuit). The mechanical auto feeder will drop the feed at a predetermined time from its storage hole.

You can control the feed’s size and time according to your Betta’s requirements. It also contains a feedback system that informs the user about the feed level left in the storage area through SMS. This device makes monitoring your fish-feeding routine easier when you vacation for many days. 

You can mount it directly on the side of your betta tank or use an enclosed rail kit for other tanks or round aquariums. There are a lot of varieties available in auto feeders with different strengths.

It would help if you chose a mechanical auto feeder that is affordable, reliable, and convenient. If your auto feeder is not good enough, it will not serve its true purpose. Thus, do a lot of research and choose the one with the best features and quality.

Block feeder

A Block feeder is a hard, giant block of fish food. This block starts to dissolve when you put it in the betta tank. When it breaks down, it releases food to feed the fish. Frozen fish fillet blocks are also used to feed the fish with proper nutrients.

But, you must ensure your tank has proper filtration and water circulation to dissolve the blocks adequately. If your tank doesn’t have adequate filtration or water circulation, the block will not dissolve properly and make your tank water messy.

These blocks are also recommended for small fish in small quantities because the block releases the food slowly and will not be sufficient for many fish. A lot of fish will remain hungry, causing health problems.

However, sometimes proper filtration and water movement will not be helpful for your feeding block. Some fish will not eat that feed, which will make the water messy.

However, you can use this block feeder if going on vacation for more than a week. Make sure you properly clean your tank and add a water heater to maintain the temperature according to betta fish. 

There are a lot of block feeders available for fish, but you cannot identify which is the best one until you try it. Try it at home to see if it works for your Betta.

You must monitor it before vacationing to ensure your fish will survive behind you. Check if your fish is actually eating the food released by the block or not. You must observe if the food block keeps your water mess-free.

If you notice any issues, instantly remove the block feeder from the tank.

Leave under the care of neighbors or relatives

You can also ask for help from your neighbors or relatives. You can ask them to take care of your Betta and feed them properly when you are out of town. Please find one who loves keeping fish as a pet.

You will not have to guide them a lot, and they will understand the requirements of your bettas easily. However, if you don’t find an expert, you ask a friend or neighbor. 

You must guide them properly about the feed quantity and timings according to your betta fish. Changing the water and cleaning the aquarium before leaving them is better for creating a healthy environment for them.

Make sure your tank has proper filtration and water circulation. Install a tank heater to keep the temperature according to the fish’s requirements. 

By doing this, your friend or relative will not have to do much to keep your fish. They will only have to feed the bettas regularly in the right quantities. It will not make a burden on them, and they will easily manage your tank.

Tell them not to over-feed your bettas as it will make them dull and stressed. Thus, always choose a person who takes care of your bettas and keeps them surviving in a healthy environment.

Can betta fish go without food?

As it is sad that a normal betta can live up to two weeks without food, you can go on your vacation if you don’t have any other option. Do not forget to make proper arrangements before leaving your fish alone. 

Leave the fish in a tank in which it is used to live in. It will not make your Betta stressed, and it will survive easily.

Ensure the tank size is big enough to provide proper space for swimming. Smaller tanks make Betta stressed, and it affects badly on their health. 

Proper filtration is also essential before leaving your Betta behind for many days. Water should be clean with proper arrangements to provide a healthy environment.

Always remember that bettas are living beings having their own identity, so all bettas will not respond the same, even in the same environment. It depends on their overall health and age and how they will react when left unattended for this long.

A mature betta will have fat reserves to deal with its food requirements, and a young betta will be able to handle stress easily. Both fish will react differently.

Make sure you don’t leave your bettas unattended often, as it will be harmful. Only leave your bettas when necessary. Never make it a norm or a routine if you want your bettas to grow healthy.

Your Betta is in safe hands – enjoy the vacation.

If you have selected any of the above ways for your bettas, you are all set to go on vacation. Make sure you have made proper arrangements before leaving your bettas alone.

Ensure your betta tank is covered and all the components work fine. The cover is essential as bettas can eventually jump out of the water and die. If you are leaving your bettas to someone, make sure you guide them properly about their requirements.

When you make proper arrangements for your betta tank, you will be able to enjoy your vacations without any stress.

If you leave for only a week or less, you can keep it without food. Ensure your heater works fine and the water condition is adequate with proper lighting.

If you want to go for 10 to 15 days, a mechanical auto feeder or block feeder will be better options. Installing a water filter and tank heater is crucial to keep the environment healthy.

But, if you are going on vacation longer than 15 days, it will become trickier to keep your Betta surviving without a betta sitter. Try asking for help from your friends and family to look after your betta tank and provide them with proper food.

You can also use a programmable light and an automatic feeder to keep them surviving. However, you cannot say which Betta will survive in that environment.

Some bettas will adjust and survive, yet others may get stressed and caught by health problems leading to death.

FAQ’S

Q: How long can Betta fish go without water?

A: Betta fish are carnivorous and can live for around 10 hours without water. Bettas have an organ called a labyrinth that is specific to fighting fish. It allows them to consume air from the surface, increasing the oxygen level in their body.

Q: Can betta fish survive 3 days without food?

A: Betta fish can live up to two weeks without food. However, not all bettas will survive for too long without food. Yet, a betta can easily live three days without food or health issues.

Q: Can a betta fish go without food for 2 days?

A: Yes, bettas can easily live without food for two days. You can leave them unattended without any stress.

Q: How long can betta fish live?

A: Generally, Betta fish grow up to 3 inches. The average age of Betta is between 2 to 5 years.

Q: Can I leave my betta fish for a week without food?

A: If you have a proper filter system and tank heater installed in your betta tank, you can easily leave your Betta for a week without food. Please make sure you properly feed them with adequate nutrients before leaving them.

Q: Can my Betta go 5 days without food?

A: Bettas are carnivorous and can live easily without food for five days. Change the tank water with proper arrangements to keep them stress-free.