Best auto feeder?

[ozmo]

Firstly: The title should red "Best auto feeder?". Stink'n iPhone

Anyhow, in your opinion or through your experience, is the best automatic feeder or feeders for a tank of South American Cichlids?

I am going away for nearly 2 weeks and I don't trust anyone to feed them properly.

I currently feed once a day (mostly at night) and vary their diet. I also skip a day every two weeks.

Here is their diet...

CARNIVORES: Sera Discus granules / Hikari Cichlid Gold pellets / beef heart / blood worms / brine shrimp with spirulina / feeder fish (occasionally)

HERBIVORES: Hikari Algae wafers / fresh cucumber / Cos lettuce leaves

My plan is... Put some feeder fish in just before I leave and also use an automatic feeder to distribute pellets only during my absence. Does that sound logical?

Any ideas would be great as I have never left them for more than a night or two.

Cheers,
ozmo

 

[5x5]

I have a eheim digital fish feeder. It has a single large compartment where you store the food and then it will rotate however often you would like to release some food. The more you leave the plastic window open, the more food dumps out.

I have mixed feelings about it. I don't like the single compartment because it means you can predict what type of food and the quantity that will come out. It also means you have to leave your lid open, which is a problem for jumpers.

Otherwise, it seems to work great.

 

[Aski247]

In regards to dropping feeders before a extended vacay. I had gone out of town on more then one occasion this year. Luckily I have a roommate who I can kinda trust to drop in pellets for me. The first time I did all rossies about 25 of them for the week I was out of town. Well... Needless to say my hog of a Dempsey chomps down on all of them in roughly 2 days.

The second trip out of town I went with comets. This time about 15 of them again for a week. They lasted about 3 days.

And this past trip. I did 15 rossies and 10 comets. This time I came back to 2 rossies and 1 comet.

Now mind you. I did have someone here to drop pellets as well. But that was just once a day. I feel mixing the sizes of feeders up greatly reduces the chance of one of the fish gorging himself on a unrestricted diet.

 

[ozmo]

Thanks Aski247. That sounds like a plan. I'll try talking my brother into driving over once a day to drop in the pellets.

Cheers,
ozmo

 

[severum mama]

Fixed your title.

If you don't trust anyone to portion out the food the way you would like it portioned, just use a pill container or Ziploc bags to put the food in. That way all your brother has to do is open it up and drop the food in.

 

[Hungrytony037]

Pill box idea is great. No need for the person to touch the food either.

 

[5x5]

Great idea. Will do the same in the future

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I use the Eheim 3581 for long trips. It has excellent reviews and has provided service for my needs pretty well. I shopped around and at the time I purchased it, the best deal I found was on eBay (NIB and much cheaper than retail).

Note: this thread might be moved to equipment/hardware by the moderator... LOL

 

[ozmo]

I use the Eheim 3581 for long trips. It has excellent reviews and has provided service for my needs pretty well. I shopped around and at the time I purchased it, the best deal I found was on eBay (NIB and much cheaper than retail).

Note: this thread might be moved to equipment/hardware by the moderator... LOL

Thanks Brian_Nano12g and 5x5, I have bought the Eheim 3582 (twin) on eBay for half price of retail. Can't wait to see it in action.

I am also going to apply the pillbox system for my smaller tanks. Thanks severum mamma and hungrytony037

Thanks to all
ozmo

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I have bought the Eheim 3582 (twin) on eBay for half price of retail. Can't wait to see it in action.

Looks like a pretty nice piece of equipment. I tried to look for it in action on YouTube but could only find my model. If it works anything like my 3581, then you wouldn't be disappointed. Perhaps if you're a video review type of person, you should post a YouTube for inquiring minds...LOL

 

[ozmo]

Looks like a pretty nice piece of equipment. I tried to look for it in action on YouTube but could only find my model. If it works anything like my 3581, then you wouldn't be disappointed. Perhaps if you're a video review type of person, you should post a YouTube for inquiring minds...LOL

Yeah I was also unable to find anything on YouTube. Once I receive it and If I have the time I'll make a little vid and stick it on YouTube.

Cheers,
ozmo

 

[ozmo]

Just a quick note...

The Eheim 3582 is a nice piece of hardware and works very well. Plenty of options with the double chambers and multiple programming options.

I will post a review/tutorial on YouTube one of these days.

I have also ordered the 3581 for one of my single specie tanks.

Cheers,
ozmo

 

[IvanMike]

pill box seems like the ideal solution and cheep.

FWIW, most fish survive just fine and dandy for a week or more with no food. (often there are inverts in the tank they can dig up and chow on anyway). In captivity our fish are at a constant buffet table and eat VERY well. It's not uncommon for fish being transported from collection in the wild or from fish farms to not be fed for a week or more. I've never done a 2 week vacation (sigh), but on my week long outings I just left the fish to their own devices. They were VERY happy to see me when I returned however....

 

[5x5]

pill box seems like the ideal solution and cheep.

FWIW, most fish survive just fine and dandy for a week or more with no food. (often there are inverts in the tank they can dig up and chow on anyway). In captivity our fish are at a constant buffet table and eat VERY well. It's not uncommon for fish being transported from collection in the wild or from fish farms to not be fed for a week or more. I've never done a 2 week vacation (sigh), but on my week long outings I just left the fish to their own devices. They were VERY happy to see me when I returned however....

IvanMike - That's interesting. I find it hard to resist the urge to feed them every day, especially when they get excited for food when I come to the tank. I've just recently started convincing myself that they are eating a little too good and its probably not the best to feed everyday.

 

[LyndaB]

We had a pet nanny coming in to take care of our dogs and she fed our tanks every 3rd day out of the marked plastic baggies we'd left for her.

Keep in mind that if you feed every day, you won't be around to be sure that your water stays clean.

 

[ozmo]

I tend to feed my aggressive CA/SA Cichlid 90g tank once a day. On the 6th day half rations and nothing on the 7th. I also sometimes mix it up a little. Maybe I'll swap the 4th and 7th day or something like that.

On my 80g Geophagus tank I also feed once a day but skip a day every now and then, sometimes twice a week, mainly because they are all earth eaters and constantly sift the substrate.

I must admit though it is hard to not feed them more often

 

[HUKIT]

I still don't see the need for a autofeeder, in my twenty plus years of keeping fish I have not needed one yet. Are you away from home frequently?

 

[ozmo]

...Keep in mind that if you feed every day, you won't be around to be sure that your water stays clean.

That's a very good point!!

 

[ozmo]

I still don't see the need for a autofeeder, in my twenty plus years of keeping fish I have not needed one yet. Are you away from home frequently?

As of late, yes I am going to be away often and sometimes for 2weeks at a time.

Also I just don't trust others to not overfeed.

I'll come home to tanks full of Gremlins

 

[HUKIT]

I'll come home to tanks full of Gremlins

How cool would that be? Only if it was like Stripe!