Betta is home alone

[Gideyon]

I'm preparing to leave my betta alone for about 4 to 5 days. I've heard that's fine to go that long without food. But I have some questions... 

 

1) the room he's in is relatively dark even in the day time. Not enough natural light. Should I put a timer on the tank light?    I've read they like the dark anyway much like their natural habitat. But I wasn't so sure... 

2) he's a very active fish. Any time I enter the room, he comes to the front.  I'm actually worried he'll get depressed (stressed) if he doesn't see someone for that long. Am I worrying too much? 

3) should my last feeding be more than usual or the usual? 

4) any other things I should make sure to do?  I'll be changing his water and gravel vac a few days before. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Gideyon If you have a happy, healthy fish he should be fine. I usually fast my fish 1x a week. If you search "the internet" sites specifically for Betta say anywhere from 4-10 days (I don't think i'd go for longer than what you are planning myself) without food. I have never left my own bettas I've had in the past go without for 3 days, but that's my threshold.

As far as lights I would put a light on a timer for a routine anyway, dunno about the fish but it would make *me* as a fish owner happier. If you have issues with algae in your tank 4 or 5 hours for the timer would be ok if you wanted to do that while you are gone. 

In my experience if whatever tank you have your betta in has decent filtration cleaning it before you go should be fine, as long as it doesn't go too far beyond when you know it would need it. I usually clean my tanks right before I go anywhere, but it only takes me about 15 mins per 20 gallon tank- I've got my routine down pat. 

There's no way to tell if your fish will get stressed- either from food or boredom or both- it depends on the fish. That part is all a gamble.

[Daniel]

7 hours ago, Gideyon said:

3) should my last feeding be more than usual or the usual?

For your last feeding, I would do less than usual. Food turns to waste and the waste that is there while you are gone should be as little as possible.

In the past I kept hundreds of bettas and I wouldn't have had any concerns about not feeding them for 4 days.

[Goosedub]

I just left my Betta for 4 days in a 20 gallon tank. What I did was fed him normally then the day before fed him a combination of frozen brine and frozen blood worms to give him a relatively clean fatty meal. I set my lights on a timer and left. My tank is still young and had a small ammonia spike before I left, I did 2 water changes in the 2 days prior to leaving. I got back and he is still alive and well, if not a little stressed out. I’m sure your betta is in a much better established tank so he should be fine.

[lefty o]

for 4-5 days, id not do anything differently.

[Gideyon]

1 hour ago, Goosedub said:

I just left my Betta for 4 days in a 20 gallon tank. What I did was fed him normally then the day before fed him a combination of frozen brine and frozen blood worms to give him a relatively clean fatty meal. I set my lights on a timer and left. My tank is still young and had a small ammonia spike before I left, I did 2 water changes in the 2 days prior to leaving. I got back and he is still alive and well, if not a little stressed out. I’m sure your betta is in a much better established tank so he should be fine.

My tank is young too.  Mid Feb.   But my NH3 is near 0, and nitrites are 0 during my weekly tests.  Haven't tested today yet.  Nitrates have stayed very low (<10ppm) so I haven't done a water change but once after 2 weeks.   I just want to gravel vac because I know there is debris down there.  On his flake days, quite a few fall to the ground.  

[Goosedub]

1 hour ago, Gideyon said:

 On his flake days, quite a few fall to the ground.  

That’s nuts! I can’t get my Betta to touch flakes. He gets mostly frozen food and nano pellets. Flakes can get super messy if it’s just 1 fish. I am cycling my quarantine tank with them. I’m sure he will do fine.

[Gideyon]

On 3/24/2021 at 11:32 AM, Goosedub said:

 

 

On 3/24/2021 at 12:13 AM, Gideyon said:

I'm preparing to leave my betta alone for about 4 to 5 days. I've heard that's fine to go that long without food. But I have some questions... 

 

1) the room he's in is relatively dark even in the day time. Not enough natural light. Should I put a timer on the tank light?    I've read they like the dark anyway much like their natural habitat. But I wasn't so sure... 

2) he's a very active fish. Any time I enter the room, he comes to the front.  I'm actually worried he'll get depressed (stressed) if he doesn't see someone for that long. Am I worrying too much? 

3) should my last feeding be more than usual or the usual? 

4) any other things I should make sure to do?  I'll be changing his water and gravel vac a few days before. 

 

Additional question on this.  I have a small gap between my heater and HOB, and my betta likes to hang out there.  Is this enough room for him to jump out if he wanted to? 

Should I cover it somehow before I leave? 

[Goosedub]

7 minutes ago, Gideyon said:

 

 

Additional question on this.  I have a small gap between my heater and HOB, and my betta likes to hang out there.  Is this enough room for him to jump out if he wanted to? 

Should I cover it somehow before I leave? 

Man... I wouldn’t think he would jump through there, but you never know. If you are concerned you can stretch some Saran Wrap over that area while you are gone.

[Eric R]

I personally haven't had a lot of problems with fish jumping (knock on wood), but when I hear about it they always seem to do so through surprisingly small cracks.

[Gideyon]

I've put the aquarium lights on a timer for 2 hours, 3xday.   I'm hoping that gives him some variety in the dungeon of the basement for that many days. 

When I break his fast, do I go easy with the amount of food, or go back to normal right away? 

I'll be honest... I am worried leaving him without food.  But if he's perfectly fine when I return, maybe it won't be so worrisome next time. 

[Gideyon]

So after returning from my trip, I came home to find my betta quite healthy.   He didn't even seem famished.  While he did eat what I gave him, he took his time. 

Maybe he was eating detritus the whole time.  

No more worries for such trips.

[Betsy]

Woohoo!!!  Glad to hear!  🥳🥳🥳