Auto feeder?

[Corty]

I'm setting up a tank for a friend of mine. She loves fish, and wants to have some very badly, but doesn't want to do any work.

She's agreed to do water changes, but has trouble with the feeding, worried she'll feed too much, or forget, or her kids will feed them after they've already been fed.

This brings me to the topic of auto feeders.

Do these work? Do they work well? Is it obvious when they're broken (aside from skeletal fish)? Is there a "good" one? How hard are they to clean?

 

[TankGirl]

If she does not think she will remember to feed them, then I don't think she ought to have a fish tank at all.

When you see tanks set up at doctors' offices and whatnot, the staff feeds the fish, but does not do any other maintenance, usually. If she promises to feed them and you contract to handle maintenance, that might work, but I would not rely on an auto feeder.

 

[Corty]

I have no doubt she would remember to feed them, just the same, I don't want her to make promises she's uncomfortable with.

Are they not reliable?

 

[piranha]

I have an auto feeder made by penn plax.It feeds the amount you set it at, twice in a 24 hour period.I use it only when I go on vacation which would be a maximum of 1 week (7 days). I wouldn't recommend using it other than for periods of a week or two.Note that it is battery operated.

 

[Corty]

Alright, I guess it's going to have to wait a bit then. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[vega]

The feeder will not last long as most are battery operate and the dry food can add into the auto feeder limited and cannot last long due to high humidity.