Auto Feeder?

[Cosm3]

Does anyone recommend an Auto Feeder besides the Eheim 3581?
I had it in the past and would like something better thats more consistent with the amount of food delivered, or something that offers multiple timers, and anti-clump technology :)

[fischfan13]

My recommendation would be none.
Are you going away?

[BlondeFishGal]

I agree with Mr. Fischfan.....NONE.

I have travelled for 2 weeks without having problems with my fish with no one feeding them. Yes, I have lost fry, but not adult fish.

I do heavy feedings and water changes for two weeks before I leave, and I always have some plants in the tanks, and then I travel and come home to yeah, tanks that are not super looking and need maintenance, but not losses.

The thing I worry about when I am gone is little power outages and my aqua clear filters not restarting/priming when the power goes back on. Or, losing fish due to the power going out for long periods of time b/c of a storm, etc.

But not from lack of feeding. In the wild, fish can go for long periods of time. They can in our tanks, too. Not ideal, but they are hardy ... they bounce back once you are home and baby-ing them again. ;)

[Cosm3]

I agree with your recommendation - but I was wondering if technology has advanced in the past few years to the point where there were good auto feeders on the market.

My primary reasoning is that I'm out of my house from 7am until 9pm nearly every day.

This leaves a small window for feeding. Having a auto-feeder sprinkle a bit of food in the morning/lunchtime would help my smaller fish grow out. It would also probably help the Tropheus who benefit from small feedings rather than a large feeding at night.

Sometimes the fish are "resting" and I have to startle them just to even feed them.

I also have to travel monthly.

Overally i'd prefer a steady feeding schedule to randomness and chaos..

That said if there's nothing good out there or its not worth the risk then i'll continue to stay away.

[fischfan13]

Welcome to my life....Random Chaos.

I'd stick with the random chaos. I have never been one who sees fit to have a regimen for their fish...'cause they sure don't have one in the wild.
A feeding in the morning and a feeding at night.
Some of us here benefit from starving their fish for a few days anyway...even fasting once or twice per week.

[BlondeFishGal]

Welcome to my life....Random Chaos.

I'd stick with the random chaos. I have never been one who sees fit to have a regimen for their fish...'cause they sure don't have one in the wild.
A feeding in the morning and a feeding at night.
Some of us here benefit from starving their fish for a few days anyway...even fasting once or twice per week.

Good thing you are not a fish. I've seen the way you eat. :hungry:
Fasting isn't part of your vocabulary..... :neener: ;) :neener:

[BlondeFishGal]

I agree with your recommendation - but I was wondering if technology has advanced in the past few years to the point where there were good auto feeders on the market.

My primary reasoning is that I'm out of my house from 7am until 9pm nearly every day.

This leaves a small window for feeding. Having a auto-feeder sprinkle a bit of food in the morning/lunchtime would help my smaller fish grow out. It would also probably help the Tropheus who benefit from small feedings rather than a large feeding at night.

Sometimes the fish are "resting" and I have to startle them just to even feed them.

I also have to travel monthly.

Overally i'd prefer a steady feeding schedule to randomness and chaos..

That said if there's nothing good out there or its not worth the risk then i'll continue to stay away.



For your daily schedule, is there a way you can put the tank lights on a timer? This way you can feed them when it is best for you say at night, set the timer to leave the lights on for a few hours so they eat, then shut off. Then go on later in the morning or whatever schedule would work for you. This way you also get to see them more if you have the lights on later at night.

Doesn't help with a mid day snack, but it might help with a feeding schedule if that is what you desire.

Just an idea....

[pogi2009]

I tried the auto feeder in my last vacation. Did a test run first. It didn't pass my test. So I didn't use it. I ended up no feeding for 5 days, and the rest of the 3 days, my daughter is home, so she was able to feed the fish.

Plus if you have multiple tanks, what are you gonna do, buy multiple auto feeders? That will be too expensive.

I also left the lights on 24 hours to have some algae, that way the tropheus can grazed on it.