Automatic feeders - are they really so bad?

[JeffNebraska]

Everyone here seems to despise automatic feeders, but mine (analog clock-like design, twice-a-day flake food feeder) seems to work great. I've left my fish for an entire month with no losses.

For my edification, why is everyone here so adamantly against these things?

 

[Jack]

Personally, I've never heard anyone who was adamantly opposed to fish feeders. The only possible drawback is that you typically cannot feed live or frozen foods. To only feed flake/dry foods is not really ideal for most fish. All that being said, most fish will do fine on dry/flake for a week or two (even longer). This is much better than some neighbor coming and throwing a handfull of food in your tank.

 

[Zic]

I have not seen anyone say bad things about these either. But I can tell you that I would not get one for one simple reason. I love feeding my fish! That's the best part of keeping fish (besides getting new fish, that's the absolute best).

It's like when you come home and your kid gives you a big smile because they're so ahppy to see you. My fish get all active when I walk into the room and wiggle my fingers in front of the tank. They start swimming about madly from one side of the tank to the other.

For someone like my brother, who's in the Marines and is gone for weeks at a time, it would be perfect. But when he's home, he feeds his fish by hand. Just for the enjoyment of the feeding.

 

[TankGirl]

I have never used one but will probably at some point need to get one (or four..) I do recall reading a disparaging remark about them a time or two on the board, so hopefully someone will speak up!

 

[mound]

I've used them with flake food everytime I've gone away with no problems.. I have nothing bad to say about them.. just make sure you remove the battery while it's not in use

 

[tkos]

I love my auto feeder for when I take trips. It isn't easy to get people in to help me right now so this was a great idea for me. Those feeder blocks just foul up the water.

The one problem is trying to get the right setting for your tank so that you don't get too much food dropping out.