[philak]

Hi, i have cleared out my community tank and rescaped , recycled it ready for Malawi cichlids.

Whilst i would happily leave the previous occupants (Rams, neons etc) unfed from Friday until Sunday if i was away for a weekend is it ok to do the same with Malawi and Mbuna in particular?

The community tank got fed once a day and missing out on a couple of days feeding didn't seem to be a problem but i have seen numrous threads here where people say they feed 3 times a day in some cases, equating to a lot of missed meals over a weekend.

Are some Mbuna better able to cope than others in this respect? Im thinking of Saulosi and one or two other species in my 55 (UK) Gallon tank.

Thanks

 

[Glaneon]

almost impossible to starve mbuna accidently.

twice a day is fine, skipping quite a few days is fine

 

[GTZ]

Loads of people fast their mbuna once a week. Shouldn't be a problem.
You could always use an automatic feeder.

 

[dielikemoviestars]

I pack my fish pretty full, especially when they're young. 3-5x per day. It's important to have a high-quality plant-based (lower protein, since mbuna are susceptible to bloat) food to do this. Then fast 1 day/week. You'll know if you're over or under feeding before it becomes too much of a problem. Their bellies don't lie :lol:

 

[ridley25]

Remember that female mbuna go three weeks without eating when holding.

If you're asking if fasting a mbuna tank every Saturday and Sunday is okay, the answer is "yes."

kevin

 

[karydas]

Keep in mind that even in nature, fish don't find food every day.

 

[philak]

"If you're asking if fasting a mbuna tank every Saturday and Sunday is okay, the answer is "yes." "

That is often the case so that's reassuring. Thanks for all the replies. I guess i also wondered if all the fish going hungry, as opposed to just the holding females, might increase aggression too and i didn't want to return to a tank half full of dead or injured fish.

 

[Rhinox]

"If you're asking if fasting a mbuna tank every Saturday and Sunday is okay, the answer is "yes." "

That is often the case so that's reassuring. Thanks for all the replies. I guess i also wondered if all the fish going hungry, as opposed to just the holding females, might increase aggression too and i didn't want to return to a tank half full of dead or injured fish.

Its possible, but not for just a couple days IME. I've left my tank for a week once, and returned to a couple nipped fins and a small yellow lab that was so pale it looked on the verge of death, but it perked back up quickly. No deaths. I've routinely left my fish alone from friday night to sunday night or monday without food, and no ill effects whatsoever.