It is always not possible for you to be at home to feed your goldfish. So you must wonder about how long your fish can stay hungry. So how long can your goldfish go without food? Let us discuss this below:
In general, goldfish can thrive for up to 2 weeks without food. However, your fish should not starve for such a long period as it can lead to malnutrition and many other health issues. Therefore, experts suggest providing two meals a day for the proper growth and development of your fish.
Let us dive into the article to know about the food requirements of your goldfish. In addition to this, we will also discuss how can you feed your fish when you are away:
Contents
What do goldfish typically eat?
| Goldfish Diet | Serving Quantity | No. of times |
|---|---|---|
| Brine shrimp | One pinch | 1-2 times a week |
| Blood worms | One pinch | 1-2 times a week |
| Pellets | A pinch | 2 times a day |
| Mosquito larvae | 12-15 | 2-3 times a week |
| Leafy greens ( Kale, spinach, lettuce) | A small piece of leaf | 3-4 times a week |
Also read: What Do Goldfish Eat?
How often should you feed your goldfish?
Goldfish should be fed twice a day in small quantities. It would be advisable always to provide them in small amounts as excessive feeding can lead to significant health issues in your goldfish.
In addition, goldfish are messy fish that produce lots of waste, making the tank’s water contaminated. Therefore if there is too much food in the tank, it will rot and produce harmful toxins that can cause damage to your goldfish.
You should serve food in a quantity that can be consumed by your goldfish in under 2 minutes.
Also read: What Happens When You Overfeed Goldfish?
How long can goldfish survive without food?
Goldfish can thrive for two weeks without food, but it will be advisable not to leave your goldfish without food. As even your goldfish requires food to stay healthy and active.
You should always serve nutritious food to your goldfish like leafy vegetables and some live food like brine shrimp and blood worms.
Therefore you must never forget that moderation is the key to a healthy life. So you should always serve the amount of food your goldfish can consume under 2 minutes. Overfeeding can lead to significant health issues in your goldfish.
In addition to this, we want you to know that goldfish metabolism speed and slow according to the water temperature.
Therefore, if the water temperature of your tank is low, then goldfish will have a slower metabolism, and your fish will not require food frequently.
Is your goldfish getting enough food?
If your goldfish is not getting enough food to satisfy its hunger, then it will show some signs to interact with its owner. The signs that your goldfish will show are as follows:
 Swimming at the water surface
If you discover your goldfish swimming above the water surface, it indicates that your goldfish is starving. We want you to know that your goldfish can swim at the top of the tank for many other reasons, like lack of oxygen in the tank.Â
Also read: Why Is My Goldfish At The Bottom Of The Tank?
Weight changesÂ
If you discover your goldfish is losing weight, it can be due to the lack of food. A healthy and nutritious diet will help to resolve such issues.
But, again, we want you to know that there can be many other reasons for your goldfish losing their weight.Â
Behavior changeÂ
Goldfish are peaceful fish that does not prefer aggression. But they can turn aggressive due to a lack of food.
Lack of food can also make them compete with their tankmates leading to major aggression in the tank.Â
Also read: Are Goldfish Aggressive?
Slow swimmingÂ
Goldfish are fast swimmers, but they are starving if you notice them swimming slow. But there can be many other reasons for your goldfish to swim slowly, like swim balder disease.
So, it will be advisable to visit a marine vet in such a situation.Â
Digging around the substrateÂ
If you discover your goldfish digging the substrate, it indicates that they are not getting enough food.Â
Therefore it will be advisable to provide nutritious food to your goldfish so that they can stay fit and healthy.
How can you feed your goldfish when you are away?
Here are how you can feed your goldfish when you are away:
- Ask for help from your neighbors or a good friend
- Automatic Fish feeder
Ask for help from your neighbors or a good friend
The most common way to feed your goldfish when you are away is to ask your neighbor or a trusted friend to feed your goldfish.
The only drawback in this is that your friend might overfeed your goldfish by mistake. Overfeeding can then lead to significant health issues in your goldfish.
So, you must give strict instruction to the person feeding your fish about the quantity to avoid overfeeding.Â
Automatic fish feeder
You can set an automatic fish feeder in your tank if you do not have a trusted person for your goldfish. It is the most reliable way of feeding your goldfish as it eliminates the chances of overfeeding.
It is also easy to use as you have to fill up your fish food and set the appropriate time and the quantity to serve. The machine can feed your goldfish for up to two weeks.
Most of the automatic feeding machine is available between 15 to 30 dollars in the market, which is not a big amount to be paid for the well-being of your fish.Â
Therefore it will always be advisable to make some arrangements for your fish before you go out for a vacation.
Conclusion:
- You should feed your goldfish twice a day in small amounts.
- Excessive feeding can lead to significant damage to your goldfish.
- Your goldfish can survive for up to 2 weeks without food, but it will not be advisable to make your goldfish starve for that long.
- If your goldfish is not getting enough food, they show various signs to interact with their owners, like change in behavior or slow swimming.
- You can ask your friend or set an automatic fish feeder in your tank so that your goldfish do not starve when you are away.
- Your goldfish diet should contain all the nutritious food like leafy greens and some live food like bloodworms so that they can stay fit and healthy.
Reference: ResearchGate