# WITHOUT FOOD..........



## monstermatt (Feb 2, 2007)

if i were to go away for 8 days and i feed my 5 RBP that are 4 inches just before i leave, will they be ok?? i also will keep the light off as well, soooo 8 days without food will that be ok???


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## cobrafox46 (Jun 2, 2008)

I would think they would be ok. I would be safe though, so they don't eat each other, and put a few feeders in there. I had to leave for a week once and put a few feeders in with my 6 RB. Just my suggestion!


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## blackandgold4ever05 (Jun 5, 2008)

I always keep some feeder guppies in my tank. I would especially make sure some are in there before a trip like that.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

That many pygos at that age... I'm thinking you're risking some cannibalism.

This is one of the several reasons why getting your pygos used to eating pellets is such a great idea.
For quite inexpensively, an automatic pellet feeder can be purchased at the lfs.
You can set it to feed at intervals during your vacation.

If this is out of the question, I'd suggest turning your temp down to the mid 70s right before you go and turn the lights off.


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## Corner (Feb 27, 2007)

cobrafox46 said:


> I would think they would be ok. I would be safe though, so they don't eat each other, and put a few feeders in there. I had to leave for a week once and put a few feeders in with my 6 RB. Just my suggestion!


...but if your pygos are anything like mine all of the feeders will be gone in a matter of hours.

How often do you usually feed the fish? Do they usually get aggressive if you miss a feeding? Can you get a trusted friend or family member to come and do it a couple of times?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Personally, I'd go with what P-man said.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

I would turn the lights out, temp down feed a couple times before you go and add some quarinteended feeder guppies or something. There is still a risk at that size but it would be reduced. Best option is to have a friend feed them at mayby day 4 or even multiple times if he can.


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## philbert (Mar 8, 2007)

feeders could be ok, if they wnt eat them fast. if it was me i'd have a friend feed them twice while you are gone. if they were bigger say 6-8 inch i'd say they'd be fine over that amount of time with no food. but the smaller ones can definetly be more canabalistic.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Seriously man... I'd go with what P-man said.


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## Corner (Feb 27, 2007)

Piranha_man said:


> Seriously man... I'd go with what P-man said.


I would too... if they will eat pellets.


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## Retaks (Apr 6, 2008)

Corner said:


> Seriously man... I'd go with what P-man said.


I would too... if they will eat pellets.
[/quote]
Yea me to. I just got my Black and im getting ready to try to get him to eat pellets.


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

cobrafox46 said:


> I would think they would be ok. I would be safe though, so they don't eat each other, and put a few feeders in there. I had to leave for a week once and put a few feeders in with my 6 RB. Just my suggestion!


Dont do that ^^

If you put a bunch of feeders in their tank your pygos will eat some and kill the rest for fun and foul the tank. Best thing to do is to gutload them before you leave so they store up enough fat and then lower the temp slowly to just above 70 and they will be very calm and chilled out. Turn out the lights and leave..they should be fine when you get back.

When i went away for 10 days i just put in dividers but that might not be an option for you,


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Really man,
Don't mean to be redundant...
But I'd definitely go with P-man's take on this one!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I differ a little on this topic then most on this forum.

I never feed my fish when I go on vacation...too many things can happen...and it isnt needed. I would just buy some egg crate and divide up the tank into 5 sections. It is cheap and easy to do...and you wont need to worry about uneaten food, cannibalism, or a unnecessary buildup of nitrates while you are gone. 8 days is not only fine for the fish.....it should be encouraged. Their bodies are built for fasting and will over eat if you allow it.

Just look at some of the obese fish on this forum. IMO...that happens not only because people feed their fish way too often and too much......but also because people dont allow the fish a proper fasting period to clean out their fat reserves. It is amazing how much nicer pygos look in the wild then when they have been in captivity for a while. Not all of them of course...but many of them are overfed and loose their natural shape that I find appealing.

Just my opinion though.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

The egg crate idea is interesting.
I'd just be sure that they are braced adequately so that one or more of them don't "fall" and create too small of a space for one of the fish, or 'pin' a fish so that he cannot circulate water through his gills properly.

Not sure if I mentioned it before or not... but I really like P-man's two cents here.
Turn the temp down and turn off the lights.

One time after my house caught fire I put my pygos into "storage" with cool water and no lights and _no food_ for 4 months and lost none in the process.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

With his fish being only 4"...and he probably feeds them daily...I would be concerned about an 8 day fast causing a lot of stress in the tank which could lead to problems. Like I said though...just my opinion.

For the eggcrate....one long divider down the middle...one divider in front...two on the back....tie it all together with zip ties and jam it down in the substrate and you are set. Kind of like a mini tic-tac-toe board.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Very cool... 
Sounds like it's pretty stable then.

I had visions of a bunch of vertically lined up crate pieces that could tip over, trapping a fish.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

An easier idea might be to set it up like a W....that would give you 5 nice size compartments that they couldnt knock over. Cut up 4 equal dividers and a few zip ties and that would be an easy way to divide them up.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

There ya go. 
That looks totally stable.

Hell, that's the way bridges and the Eiffel Tower are built!


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## jayjulesjohn (Jun 5, 2008)

Piranha_man said:


> The egg crate idea is interesting.
> I'd just be sure that they are braced adequately so that one or more of them don't "fall" and create too small of a space for one of the fish, or 'pin' a fish so that he cannot circulate water through his gills properly.
> 
> Not sure if I mentioned it before or not... but I really like P-man's two cents here.
> ...


damn dude 4 MONTHS..and no one got eaten...u put 10 people together and no food for 2 months and they kill each other for food.. survival of the fittest


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## KrBjostad (Jun 21, 2008)

jayjulesjohn said:


> The egg crate idea is interesting.
> 
> One time after my house caught fire I put my pygos into "storage" with cool water and no lights and _no food_ for 4 months and lost none in the process.


damn dude 4 MONTHS..and no one got eaten...u put 10 people together and no food for 2 months and they kill each other for food.. survival of the fittest
[/quote]

lol thats what I was thinking.

Donner, party of 3 please


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Yeah, not only no cannibalism, but no fin nips either.


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