How to Feed Betta Fish While on Vacation: 3 Vet Approved Methods

One of the best things about keeping fish is enjoying them without devoting a lot of time to their upkeep. Once you have set up a good sized tank with water of the correct temperature and with plenty of enrichment, they fish don’t require much everyday work.  However, they do require an initial investment in their equipment and you must do partial water changes and routine maintenance. You can enjoy watching them in the meantime. However, pet ownership is a responsibility, even if we’re talking about fish.  This is often something that is under-estimated. Any pet requires commitment and time and you must see to their needs even if you’re on the road.

Betta fish (Betta splendens), also known as Siamese fighting fish, are popular aquarium fish.  They are native to Asia where they are found in the shallow waters of marshes, ponds and slow-moving streams.  The beauty of the Bettas has made them very popular pet fish in the western world, and this sadly has meant that money driven breeding farms mainly in South-East Asia are breeding them in poor and inadequate conditions. Be sure to find out where your betta fish has come from before purchasing one.

Here are some tips for feeding your betta while on vacation.

The 3 Ways to Feed Betta Fish While on Vacation

1. Hire a Pet Sitter, Family Member, or Friend

Our first option is probably the easiest and best choice on our list. It’s the best way to ensure seamless care while you’re away. A set of eyes checking on your betta helps you stay on top of any issues while you’re away. It’s also a godsend if a power outage occurs while you’re on vacation. Your pet won’t suffer just because the situation takes a bad or unexpected turn.

On the downside, it can be expensive if you have to hire someone to do the job. You’ll get someone who’ll make sure it gets done, but for a price. On the positive side, it probably won’t cost you any extra if you plan to hire someone to take care of your place anyway.

A real person checking on your fish twice daily will be able to ensure it is fed, the temperature is right and that there are no signs of ill health.  This is certainly the best option if it is affordable.

2. Food Block

A food block is a time-release way to ensure a steady supply if you can’t do your regular feedings. They’re an excellent idea in theory—if they work as described. The release time varies with the water conditions. Also, what you think of as a steady release isn’t necessarily what you’ll get in real time. You can get betta specific food blocks but these obviously don’t include live food such as mosquito larvae, blackworms and shrimp.

Problems can occur with food blocks. They can foul the tank’s water if they dissolve too quickly for your filter to handle or if your fish don’t eat all the food that is offered.  We suggest researching these products properly. Cheap ones may end up causing more problems than they solve and many are generic and may not satisfy the specific nutritional needs of bettas. For a short trip away, you can use a food block so long as you or someone else will be able to check the tank the next day.

3. Automatic Fish Feeder

If you opt for a decent product, an automatic fish feeder is an option that many people favor. The advantage is that you are in control. You decide what your betta gets and when it happens. You might even consider it a permanent solution if you’re not consistent with the feeding. The downside is that you must pay for a reliable one and even the more expensive ones have mixed reviews; some are hard to set up, some take too long to release the food, some release it all at once.  There doesn’t seem to be a perfect automatic feeder, but if you are getting one for your bettas, make sure it accommodates floating pellet food and that it is reliable if there is an electricity outage.

You’ll find feeders powered by batteries or electricity. We like the former since it eliminates an outage problem—assuming you change the batteries regularly. We suggest verifying that it’s working before leaving home and putting it in charge of mealtime. You should also clean it to prevent blockages that could interfere with the feed delivery.

A Pause on Feeding?

Bettas should be fed once a day and the food they are fed should all have been eaten within 5 minutes.  In the wild, betta fish may not manage to eat daily but this isn’t something we want to replicate in captivity.  If you’re only going away for a day or two, your fish may survive, but they may not, and leaving them without food isn’t something we’d advocate.

Tips for Preparing for a Trip When You Own a Fish

We strongly urge you to do regular maintenance on your tank before you leave. Do the partial water changes, check the filter cartridge, and make sure the heater is staying on point. Bettas are relatively hardy and resilient when it comes to water temperature but if it is continually fluctuating, they will be negatively impacted.

This preparatory work is especially essential if your trip is going to interrupt your usual schedule. It won’t hurt to do the work early but it can have disastrous impacts if you do it in a hurry and forget to turn the heater or the feeder on for example.

The feeding solutions above are options to use when you're going away. Using a food block is an option if your trip is sudden and short, but it isn’t ideal if you will be away for a long time.  You must figure out someone to come and check on your fish if this is the case.

We don’t recommend using feeder fish as a live substitute. They will die eventually and can foul the water.  Once dead, they will degrade, polluting the water further.

Conclusion

Pet care doesn’t hit pause when you travel. Your betta still needs to be fed even if you’re not there to do it yourself.  You have several options that can ensure the gravel train keeps running even if you’re not manning the helm. It is a good idea to leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case your travel plans are unexpectedly extended so that they can go and check the fish, change the water if needed and replenish the automatic feeder.

See Also:

• How to Safely Transport Fish For Short & Long Distances (Vet Answer)

• How Do Betta Fish Breathe? (In & Out Of Water)

• Can Bettas Eat Goldfish Food? Vet-Approved Science & Nutritional Info

Featured Image Credit: Trillianvlmann, Shutterstock