Are you going on a trip and won’t be able to bring your swordtail fish with you? You must be concerned that it will starve if you leave your swordtail fish alone for a few days. Your fish may hunger and become stressed if you do not have someone to care for them. However, how do they deal with it? How long can swordtails go without food?
Without food, a Swordtail fish can survive for 1 to 2 weeks. As a result, when feeding them before leaving the house, try not to overfeed them and only feed them once or twice a day. If they are too young to eat solid foods in the time frame we suggested, you may wish to utilize an automatic fish feeder or a vacation feeder/pyramid while you are away from home.
What are the options of feeding your swordtail fish while you’re away? How long can they survive without food? Read to find out!
How Long Can Swordtails Go Without Food?
Swordtail fish may survive for up to two weeks without eating. If you’re going on a longer vacation, make sure to feed your fish both while you’re away and when you return!
It’s critical to feed them. They will hunger and die if they are not fed. So, as a result, if you are going to be away from home for more than a few hours, it is ideal for feeding them twice a day.
What Should You Do Before Departing With Your Swordtail Fish?
Before embarking on a trip, ensure the water is clean enough so there will be no rises in ammonia levels if they go without eating.
Here are some ideas on how to keep your fish alive while you’re away:
While you are away, ask a friend or neighbor to feed your swordtail fish
If you’re leaving on a trip and don’t know what to do with your fish, contact a friend or neighbor for help.
They’ll almost certainly be delighted to assist and feed them for you! If they say yes without hesitation, that’s fantastic!
However, if you have to persuade them to say yes, you might want to reconsider your friendship.
Water Changes
Before leaving for your trip, do a 20 percent water change to ensure no debris in the tank. Fill the tank with clean water instead of emptying it. Replace a small amount of water with conditioned tap water that has been treated with a conditioner/dechlorinator or left for 24 hours without movement. A large amount of water change will cause more harm than good.
Before departing, it’s a good idea to make a 20 percent water change. Before going on a trip that will last longer than a week, you should conduct 20 percent water changes twice in the tank.
Getting Rid of Rotting Matter & Debris
If the substrate is sand or gravel, get rid of any decaying matter or debris.
Clear the tank of any decaying materials or trash. This includes dead fish, sick plants, and food that hasn’t been consumed. When swordtails aren’t fed food regularly, they will scrape off algae and aquarium plants, which cannot be good for their health.
Lower The Water Temperature
Lower the water temperature in the aquarium by two degrees Fahrenheit before going for a trip with your Swordtail fry.
Reduce the temperature by no more than a couple of degrees. You want to avoid sudden changes in water temperature that could injure your fish.
For a week before you leave, set your thermostat to 72 degrees Fahrenheit so that they can acclimatize more readily when you come home. They will be less active as a result, reducing their chances of consuming the tank decorations.
Don’t Overfeed Your Swordtail Fish
Do not overfeed your Swordtail fry in the aquarium before going on a trip. Overfeeding will result in murky water and an increase in ammonia levels.
Swordtails are prone to overfeed, and if you leave food in the tank for too long, they will perish.
Because you would be leaving them without food, it is critical not to overfeed them before going on vacation or a business trip.
It’s crucial not to overfeed them before you leave on a trip. If the water quality isn’t excellent enough, it might lead to health concerns and even death.
Feeding twice a day while away from home is a decent thumb rule. If you feed them more than this, you’ll end up with a lot of excrement and ammonia.
Set Your Aquarium Lights On Timer
Swordtail fish are light-sensitive and will suffer if the lights are turned off while on a lengthy trip.
You can set a timer to turn off the lights after 12 hours of light exposure or have someone check in daily and leave the lights on.
Set your aquarium lighting system to run on an automatic timer. This way, you won’t have to worry about it accidentally turning off while you’re gone.
Ensure that all of the lights are set on timers so that when the light goes out, there is still some time until it comes back on and alerts your swordtails to the presence of food.
Should You Use An Automatic Fish Feeder?
If you’re traveling on a trip longer than a week and won’t be able to feed your fish manually, an automatic fish feeder or pyramid is the best option.
Some folks would rather not utilize them. They predict the fish will consume too much food, resulting in an ammonia rise.
However, if you properly feed them with a daily portion of their regular meal, this should not occur.
If you don’t come back for more than a week or until the plants start to die off, these may help prevent algae infestation if your tank is highly planted.
If you want your fish to survive, this is the last resort, but it’s better than not feeding them at all and letting them starve.
What Do You Think of a Vacation Feeder/Pyramid?
An automatic fish feeder or vacation feeder/pyramid can be a perfect solution for people who desire to leave their house yet have pets.
Some people may be unaware that their pets’ water bowls would need to be refilled while you are away, while others may be concerned about the food in your home; what if there is an emergency?
You can purchase a vacation feeder/pyramid at certain pet stores or online, but you might be able to create one yourself.
The best feature of the pyramid is that it automatically refills as water levels drop. So they’re ideal for people who don’t know how much food their fish will use while they’re away for a week or more.
Can I Bring My Swordtail Fish On Vacation With Me?
We are not always willing to go on vacations because we want our pets to accompany us!
When you have an aquarium full of fish, though, this is more difficult than it appears.
If you decide to take your pet fish on vacation and keep them at a hotel, keep the following in mind.
- The water temperature will most likely be significantly warmer than it is in your pet fish’s home aquarium. Therefore, when they return home from vacation, you may need to raise the thermostat or invest in an air conditioner and adjust accordingly.
- Hotel fish tanks aren’t always cleaned as frequently as they should be. As a result, your fish may require a water purifier or antibiotic.
- You’ll almost certainly be sharing a room with other people who have pets and are allergic to your pet; keep this in mind before bringing your own fish on vacation.
How Long Can Swordtail Fry Live Without Food?
If you do not feed your swordtail fry, they won’t last more than a day or two.
Remember that newborn fish are more sensitive than adults and should be fed three times per day.
Feeding tiny amounts of food to your fry until they grow larger is a good idea. However, do not overfeed them or feed them for an extended period of time; they will quickly absorb the water in the tank as well!
Are Swordtail Fish Algae Eaters?
They do, in fact, eat algae.
Algae is a fantastic source of nutrition for your fish, but it may upset their stomachs and cause them to regurgitate or have diarrhea. Because algae are high in protein but poor in other nutrients, feeding it only once a week would be beneficial.
It’s possible that one (or all) of your fish is eating algae if your tank is hazy for an extended period of time or if there are white balls in your tank. To some extent, this can even assist you in organically cleaning algae.
Will Swordtail Fish Eat Aquarium Plants?
Swordtails are omnivorous, so your swordtails will eat plants. They need plant supplements for a balanced diet, and you may see them nibbling on aquatic plants as well as scraping off algae in the tank.
Swordtails get their food from flakes or plants or vegetables that are boiled. So even though they nibble on the leaves of your plant, they will not cause any damage to it.
Conclusion
Finally, it’s critical to look after your swordtails and make sure you have enough food to feed them while you’re away.
Some people may be unaware of how often their pet’s water bowl needs to be refilled or what kind of food their fish will consume while they are away. As a result, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Making your own pyramid or feeder is the greatest way to keep your fish nourished while you’re away. Dried worms, bloodworms, shrimp pellets, freeze-dried newborn brine shrimp, and plankton flakes can all be added.
This should suffice to keep them occupied for a few days till the owner returns!
