Given good tank and water conditions could be 2-3 days. Try and soak the food in a garlic extract, dick boyd's vitachem, and selcon....Though I am kinda down on Selcon lately....The last couple of bottles I have gotten have come lumpy/gelatinous. Also I seem to suffer an algae bloom when soaking food in it...I have discontinued and no more blooms...But anyways back to the topic good nutrition, good tank conditions and it will be okay....In your postition I might get radical and move the tank rock all over so any potential turf wars might end with new territories being established...