# how long can pygmy cories go without food?



## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

how long can pygmy cories go without food?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I have found that fish, in general, can go about 1 week (preferably less than 5 days) without food if they have been well fed (fattened up) during the week or two prior to a vacation or other situation that might deprive them of food. For young pygmy cories, I probably would not let them go more than 3 days (unless I had one of those "food blocks" that you can use for vacations).


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

thanks! i was freaking out because i could only see 4 of the 11 pygmy cories i put in my tank and i started becoming paranoid of them starving, being crushed by the driftwood when i accidentally bumped it, sucked up the filter, eaten, etc. but alls good i found them in the evening wandering around


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Oh no! The pygmy cories like to hide. Mine hang behind the sponge filter a lot. 

And you can never tell how many you have unless you scare them all out. They do come out to eat in a big school, but some still hang behind the filter. Pouting or something.

--Nikolay


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Honestly, fish can live a much longer time without food. I had this discus fish that flat out refused to eat for nearly three months before it finally died. Granted it is a much bigger fish than the cories but even so, yours shouldn't die from a few weeks of no food as horrible as that may sound. They are cold blooded creatures and can go for much longer periods of time without food then we can. I still recommend getting an autofeeder though or a helpful friend.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

A well established planted aquarium has a lot more food in it than you can see, especially to a small fish like any of the Dwarf cories. There are microscopic organisms on all the surfaces that small fish will eat. 
The ones that were hiding were probably eating just fine. 

Tetra makes a gel food for vacations that seems to work quite well. Does not affect the water chemistry, and the fish seem to eat it slowly, over several days to a week. Works for shrimp, too.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

I suggest getting some terta blocks. Some are good for 5 days, others are good up to 10-12.

This means you can go away for up to two weeks and they will be fine.

-Gordon


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## bbehring (Jul 14, 2009)

I've used the tetra gel vacation feeder and it works quite well! I second that motion! My pygmys do fine from just feeding my other fish twice per day. I just make sure some of the food sinks down to them.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

I love those vacation gel feeders!


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