Fish Food Feeders

There are many options available for fish food feeders. Most commonly; food pyramids and automatic fish feeders are used when an aquarist goes on a vacation. Sometimes they are used to meet the special needs of night time feedings of nocturnal fish. They have an abundance of functions and the variety available meets almost any aquarist’s needs.

Benefits of automatic feeding

Some of the benefits in automatic feeding include having exact portions at exact times. Portion control is an important factor in not polluting a tank by over feeding the fish. Timing also ensures that the fish know when they are feeding and that they have an established eating routine. Timing of feedings for nocturnal fish can be bothersome for most enthusiasts because their feeding times usually coincide with our sleeping times. These are some reasons that an automatic feeder should be considered. If overfeeding is a problem that you have on a consistent basis, letting an auto feeder do the work for you may be the best alternative.

Vacations are another reason that fish food feeders may be considered. It can be hard to convince a friend who lives across town to come and feed your fish twice a day. Not knowing whether or not your fish are being taken care of can be worrisome. The last thing an aquarist wants when they get home from vacation is to see that all of their fish have gone belly up due to poor feedings. Automatic fish feeders take this worry away and let a dedicated fish enthusiast really relax without worrying about the health of their tank.

Negatives of automatic Feeding

Automatic fish feeders are electric. Electricity and water are not the best combination. A malfunction of an automatic fish feeder may result in the killing of the fish in the tank. If they run out of batteries while a fish owner is on vacation it could also result in some very sick or dead fish upon the return. On the same principle if an automatic feeder runs out of batteries and the owner does not notice the fish may suffer.

 When relying on electronics to feed fish there is less interaction; how fish eat can be an indicator of health. Not knowing how much your fish are eating and whether or not they are eating regularly can be a problem. Food has a tendency to clump within the feeders which can also affect the amount of food that the fish are getting. When buying an automatic fish feeder ensuring that it is one with a function to unclump the food is the best idea.

Food Pyramids

Fish food feeder pyramids are a great alternative to the expensive automatic fish food feeders. They usually come in 3-7 day varieties. The length of time makes them great for the weekend trip. Some varieties of the 7 day feeders have a secret chamber that when dissolved it releases tubiflex worms to provide a great option of variety for your unattended fish. The fish food pyramid benefits are primarily in the cost. A 3 day feeder can be as little as $3.00 and can provide a great alternative to bribing a friend or co-worker into visiting your house to feed the fish. The main thing to remember is that once you return any uneaten portion of the pyramid should be scooped out to avoid the complications that can come with overfeeding fish.

Feeders for everyday use

If you are considering fish food feeders for everyday use there are many important things to examine. The first is food variety. Food variety can be hard to get with a fish food feeder and a lack of variety can lead to sick fish. One option is investing the money to purchase an automatic fish feeder that has individual chambers. These can be used to provide a varied diet of pre-portioned food for your fish. In these feeders an enthusiast can place foods from pellets to freeze dried brine shrimp. The foods can be stored for feedings at designated times. It is great if you have a carnivorous nocturnal fish because these types of feeders are not just designed for flake foods.

Another thing to consider is that while you may not become a “slave” to feeding your fish. Feeding fish may be a great way to enjoy the tank. Fish begin to associate you with food and this can become an important interaction point that many aquarists enjoy. If the tank is a personal one then taking the time to consider how the loss of that association may affect your relationship with your tank is important.

Automatic feeders in businesses

If the fish tank is in a business or office, an automatic feeder may be the best option available. People’s schedule can differ and sometimes it is not possible for business needs to encompass taking care of a fish tank. An automatic fish feeder can add to the aesthetic value of the fish tank by ensuring fish are fed properly without taking staff attention away from work. Proper placement of the feeder will ensure that it does not detract from the visual beauty of the tank as well.

Initial use considerations

It is very important that when fish food feeders the first few feedings are monitored. This is to ensure that the portions being delivered are not too high or too low. If you have chosen a feeder with multiple chambers, it is good to make sure that the right types of food are being delivered at the right times. It could be disaster if your carnivorous nocturnal fish was only being fed vegetarian flake and your day time vegetarian was being fed dried shrimp. Check and recheck the settings on the automatic feeders to ensure that there are no accidents while you are away.

Food pyramids must be appropriate for the size and population of your tank. Putting a pyramid designed for a 10 gallon tank into a 50 gallon tank could result in seriously underfed fish. Carefully read the sizing instructions before placing a feeder pyramid into your tank.