No Food for fish!?!

I talked to this Japanese owner of a saltwater store who has a great reputation in Los Angeles. He told me that not feeding fish for extended periods of time (once a week) is actually 'healthier' than feeding them once a day, or even once every couple days. I told him that I'm going on a trip for 9 days and won't be around to feed my fish and he thought it was a great idea not to feed them. What do you guys think???

 

Every fish has difference metabolic rates, and it is not safe to assume that all of your fish will make it through a nine day fast. Tangs are very active and require much more food than a clown goby would.

 

I think, I like his thinking
I would not feed or worry about someone feeding my fish if I was away 1 week
depends on the condition of the fish though, if they are plump before you go, they will be a little thinner when you get back and your tank could look cleaner also.

Steve

 

i fasted my fish for four days once when i was out of town... my clowns looked better than ever!!! Their colors actually were brighter...!
my yellow tang didnt look to different and neither did the goby

 

Ya I have a 30 gallon with just one tomato clownfish and a 6-line wrasse, I was also concerned about the anemone (bubble tip) but the fish store owner told me the same thing applies to anemones. I guess we'll see how they do on a 9 day fast..fingers crossed.

 

I think 9 days is pushing it, 7 maybe. Can't someone come over once, say in the middle of the 9 day period?

 

Reef fish are constantly picking while on the reef, it is unnatural to not feed them for one day, let alone a few. I would stick with daily, more multi daily, feedings.

 

Sounds like I'm getting mixed replys on whether or not to worry about 9 days without food for my reef tank. I'm going to try and see if someone can get over there but honestly I'll probably just have to pray and hope they can all make it 9 days....For some reason I just feel like fish biologically should have some ability to go without food for some time since in the wild they may not have a constant food source all the time....idk..

 

I'm not sure how often fish go without food on reefs. They are pretty much bursting at the seams with life. Like was said before it definitely depends on the fish and their metabolic rate and initial state of health.

I would look into at least setting up an auto feeder with some pellets/flake or something to feed a couple times while you're gone, they're not that expensive.

 

i've thought alot about this,a friend of mine has a 30 with two clowns in it and he has NEVER fed them, hes had the tank for years as well, they look healthy to me. i couldnt bring myself to do this though i'd feel like i was being cruel. i also think that if they get hungry enough just about any fish would try to eat coral before it starved to death,atleast i would hope so