Buying task · Automatic feeders
Automatic fish feeders
Drum vs compartment feeders, which foods they take, how they mount, battery rules from the makers' manuals and why no feeder has published reliability data.
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Short answer
Choose a feeder by the food you use, how it mounts on your tank, how it keeps food dry and how it is powered, then run it at home before you rely on it. Fish Mate recommends supervising a new F14 for fourteen days while you are present.[1] We found no independent reliability data for any consumer feeder, so no model can be called dependable on evidence.
What an automatic feeder does
A feeder drops dry food into the tank on a schedule. The two common designs portion food differently:
- Drum feeders turn a food container so some food falls out through an opening. EHEIM's standard autofeeder holds about 100 ml and is meant mainly for flake food.[2] A slider on the drum sets the size of the opening, and for larger amounts EHEIM suggests the two-rotation setting.[3] It can feed up to four times a day.[3]
- Compartment feeders hold separate, pre-filled meals. Fish Mate's F14 uses rotor compartments with mealtime pegs on a clock knob and releases each meal gradually over about two hours.[1] Closer Pets says it feeds one to four times a day for up to 14 individual meals.[4]
Capacities and schedules differ a lot between makers. Aquarium Co-Op gives about 200 ml and up to four feedings a day for its Auto Feeder,[5] while JUWEL's EasyFeed has a 75 ml container and feeds once a day, or twice with the second feeding fixed six hours after the first.[6] The feeder specs comparison lines them up.
The decisions, in order
1. Food form. Feeders take dry food. EHEIM says its autofeeder is for flakes and granulates and must not be used for live or frozen food.[3] Check that the food you use fits the feeder's opening or compartments.
2. Mounting. The F14 sits over a feeding hole in the hood (the manual says to cut a 30 mm / 1-1/4 in hole if there is none) or on two supplied clamps on tanks without a hood.[1] Aquarium Co-Op says its clamp fits rims up to 0.9 in (24 mm) thick.[5] EHEIM supplies a bracket for open-top tanks.[2] Our rimless tank and hooded tank pages cover each case.
3. Keeping food dry. Humidity is the usual enemy. EHEIM says the drive unit and air intake must not sit in the humid air of an open aquarium and the unit must never be immersed.[3] Fish Mate says condensation inside the F14 can clog food or stop it dispensing, and that air-pump spray near the feeding hole can add to it.[1] JUWEL says the EasyFeed can be connected to an air pump to help keep food dry.[6]
4. Power. EHEIM's autofeeder runs on two AA alkaline batteries and must not be run on rechargeables.[3] When it shows "LO" it keeps feeding for about three days, then shuts off.[3] The F14 manual recommends one AA alkaline battery and says it should last about 12 months in continuous use.[1] Wi-Fi feeders with a power supply add a mains question: EHEIM's autofeeder+ page is for Europe, and we found no North American voltage or certification information for it.[7]
5. Test it at home. Run it with your food and your settings for long enough to see it work, and to see your tank's response, before you leave it alone.
Every page on feeders
Guides
- How to test an automatic fish feeder before a trip
- Drum vs compartment fish feeders: how each portions food
- Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumping
- Automatic feeder specs compared: EHEIM, JUWEL, Fish Mate and Aquarium Co-Op
- How to feed aquarium fish while you're away
- Automatic feeder or fish sitter?
Tank and trip pages
- Mounting by tank: rimless or open-top, hooded or lidded, nano and betta tanks
- By trip: up to a week away, one to two weeks away
Comparisons and shortlists. Not yet. A feeder comparison or shortlist needs at least two feeders that meet our catalog bar (an exact model, a seller tied to the brand and maker-documented specs), and so far only the F14 does. Until then, use the decisions above as your checklist.
How to choose
If your tank has a hood with a feeding hole and you want no mains cable near the water, a battery compartment feeder is the simplest fit. Fill the compartments with the food your fish already eat, set the mealtime pegs and watch it for two weeks.
Closer Pets gives the F14 a 3-year guarantee.[4] A guarantee covers the device, not your fish.
Maker pages use phrases like "reliably dispenses" or "leave with confidence". We do not repeat them: a reliability claim about a feeder is an animal-welfare claim, and no published repeatability data backs one for any model.
Key terms
Drum feeder, compartment feeder, portion slider, double feeding, feeding hole, condensation tray, feeder air port and feeder capacity.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumpingHelps you find why a feeder jams, clumps or stops, and fix it with the makers' own remedies before you trust it on a trip.
- Automatic feeder specs comparedPuts the makers' own feeder figures side by side, shows which are EU products and which details are missing, so you can shortlist without trusting listing copy.
- Drum vs compartment fish feedersHelps you pick the feeder design that matches your food and trip, using what EHEIM, Fish Mate, Aquarium Co-Op and hygger state about portions and capacity.
- How to test an automatic fish feeder before a tripTurns a feeder you have never trusted into one you have watched work on your own tank, food and settings, since no published reliability data exists.
Common questions
Why is the food in my automatic feeder clumping?
Moisture from the tank is the usual cause. Fish Mate says condensation inside the F14 can clog food, and that spray from an air stone near the feeding hole can add to it. Move the air stone away, reduce airflow or raise the feeder. More in Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumping
My EHEIM feeder shows LO. Will it still feed?
For a while. EHEIM says it keeps feeding after LO appears, but after about three days the display blinks and the unit shuts off. Replace the batteries within about a minute, or the settings are lost. More in Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumping
Can I use rechargeable batteries in my fish feeder?
Not in the EHEIM battery autofeeder: EHEIM says it must run on two AA alkaline cells, not rechargeables. Check your own manual; other models may differ. More in Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumping
Can I put my Fish Mate F14 on the condensation tray?
The F14 manual says condensation-tray mounting is not normally recommended unless an air pump is connected to the feeder's AIR port. Use a feeding hole in the hood or the supplied clamps instead. More in Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumping
Can I use frozen or live food in an automatic feeder?
Not in the EHEIM autofeeder, which EHEIM says is for dry food such as flakes and granulates only. Wet food spoils and clogs, so treat dry food as the rule unless your manual says otherwise. More in Automatic feeder not dispensing or clumping
Which automatic feeder holds the most food?
Of the maker figures we found, hygger lists its HG169 in 350 ml and 500 ml sizes, Aquarium Co-Op states about 200 ml and EHEIM about 100 ml for its standard autofeeder. More food is not more days: that depends on your portion and schedule. More in Automatic feeder specs compared
Is the EHEIM autofeeder+ sold for 120 V outlets?
We found no North American voltage, plug or certification information for it. The page we read is EHEIM's EU and UK page, which describes a power supply unit, so do not assume it suits a US or Canadian outlet. More in Automatic feeder specs compared
Which feeders run on batteries?
The EHEIM autofeeder runs on two AA alkaline cells, the JUWEL EasyFeed on AA alkaline cells and the Fish Mate F14 on one AA alkaline cell. Aquarium Co-Op's Auto Feeder has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery charged over USB-C. More in Automatic feeder specs compared
Questions
Should I choose a drum feeder or a compartment feeder?
A drum feeder portions dry food from one container each time it turns; EHEIM's sets the portion with a slider on the drum. A compartment feeder such as Fish Mate's F14 drops one pre-filled meal at a time. Compare them in drum vs compartment feeders.[3][1]
Can I use rechargeable batteries in a battery feeder?
Follow the maker. EHEIM says its autofeeder runs on two AA alkaline batteries and must not be run on rechargeables, and the F14 manual recommends one AA alkaline battery. Aquarium Co-Op's Auto Feeder is different: it has a built-in rechargeable battery charged over USB-C.[3][1][5]
Why does food clump in my feeder?
Usually moisture. Fish Mate says condensation inside the F14 can clog food or stop it dispensing, and that spray from an air stone near the feeding hole can add to it. EHEIM says its feeder's air intake must not sit in the humid air of an open tank. More fixes in feeder not dispensing.[1][3]
Which automatic feeder is the most reliable?
We cannot say, and neither can anyone else on current evidence: we found no independent, standardized repeatability or failure-rate data for any consumer aquarium feeder. Treat any maker's reliability wording as marketing and test the feeder at home.
Can I put a feeder on live or frozen food?
Check the manual for your model. EHEIM, for example, says its autofeeder is for dry food such as flakes and granulates and must not be used for live or frozen food.[3]