# What do people mean by fasting?



## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

When I look at some posts I constantly see people saying I fast my betta x amount of times a week. What does this mean and is it necessary? If so, why? Thanks in advance for any replies!


----------



## fishy friend2 (Aug 28, 2011)

I think it means that people don't feed it for a couple of days to prevent constipation


----------



## Stardancer (Jan 2, 2011)

That sounds about right. Both of my bettas are at my workplace, so they automatically get fasted over the weekend. It seems to work fine.


----------



## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

so do I not feed him for two days or one?


----------



## fishy friend2 (Aug 28, 2011)

Whatever you think if it were me I would fast for 2 days but 1 day should be fine


----------



## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

No that's fine I will fast for two. Fasting on the weekends works better for me as well, so I won't feed him on saturdays and sundays, but the good thing is Monday is one of his treat days (as well as friday), so at least he'll be rewarded with some bloodworms at the end of the fast!!


----------



## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Adults in the wild usually fast for a day every so often. So most people fast their adult bettas one day a week. (no reason to fast more then that per week.....)
It helps their digestion. Fry and young bettas (under 6 months) usually eat daily, but if you know your betta is an adult then go ahead and take one day a week off from feeding. Watch out though, they will beg like a puppy lol.

Edit: You said Monday and Fridays are his treat days, are you meaning freeze dried? If so.. then only fast him one day that is recommended. FD don't have as much nutrients in them, so if he is skipping his meal for his treats, then that is even less nutrition he is getting if you fast him 2 days. Most people only do one day, if any.


----------



## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

Ok thank you. Yes they are freeze dried. And I still give him the Tetra Betta flakes in the morning of his treat day, it is only his night feeding that he will get about 2-3 FD bloodworms. So yeah I will do the recommended thing of fasting him only once a week, thank you all! Also just wanted to report that Daz is currently starting his first bubblenest! Got so physced when I got home from school and saw it! Also, science just became one of my favourite lessons! Only because they've got a 20 gallon goldfish tank at the front of the classroom haha


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I only fast mine for 1 day.


----------



## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

My poor fish have been undergoing 4-5 day fasts for the last 3-4 weeks. I keep going away on weekends. This weekend was supposed to be different, but another 6 hour car ride awaits me, and another lonely 3 days for them.


----------



## BettaMiah (Sep 12, 2011)

It actually is necessary. It helps prevent swim bladder and constipation. I give my Betta fish a pea along with fasting, to flush their entire system out. 

I only recommend doing it for maximum 2 days a week, or they might get stressed and hungry.


----------



## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

There is a lot of debate on the pea method. Because bettas are carnivores, it would be like trying to make your cat a vegetarian. Neither one can live off of greens like dogs and people can. My bettas live in a planted tank. If they want greens they can get them there. They don't ever eat the plants in the tank, even after a week without food.


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Daphnia is a better, more natural alternative to peas.


----------

