Feeding fish can be a chore sometimes, especially if you are always on the go and don’t have a lot of time to feed your fish. This is why you may be looking for the best automatic fish feeder.
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The automatic fish feeder is a kind of device which automatically dispenses food for your fish or aquatic pets. Think of it as an automatic dispenser for your dog or cat, but in the design for fish and for your aquarium (or even pond).
It can make sure your fish are fed properly, avoid overfeeding or underfeeding, keep them fed during vacation when you’re out of the house, and to ensure that they get fed at the right time of the day to avoid cloudy aquariums.
Top 10 Best Automatic Fish Feeder for Small Tank
Here are our top picks for the best automatic fish feeder:
Zacro Automatic Fish Feeder
This automatic fish feeder can be charged through its USB port or using its own batteries, which makes it easy to operate.
The feed bucket is up to 200 ml in capacity so you can feed a lot of fish food in one go, including powders, flakes, granules, and the like.
You can set it for up to 4 feedings a day with each session being 1 to 3 times. The battery of this unit is up to 800 times in its discharge rate due to its lithium battery.
The size is ideal for a fish tank that is about 600 liters in size. In fact, it can even be used for turtle tanks. The timer is easy to set with its touch control buttons.
Things We Liked
- Large capacity
- Easy controls
- USB charging
- Up to 4 feedings a day
- Also used for turtle tanks
Things We Didn’t Like
- The feeding door could be a bit too large
Torlam Auto Fish Feeder
With this automatic fish feeder, you can set the program on daytime or at night depending on whether you want a single, double, or triple way of feeding.
The fish feeder can be fixed to the tank wall or you can stick it to the tank cover using adhesive. The feeder has a hatch style door so it can be easy to deploy food from.
You can use flakes, crumbles, strip food, or pellets to feed your fish with this feeder. It has a moisture-resistant hopper so that it won’t clog your system or contaminate your fish food with mold.
Because the digital fish feeder has a 360-degree rotatable pedestal, you can position it in any way that you want. It has a capacity of 200 ml.
Things We Liked
- Good capacity for food
- Hatch style door
- 2 ways to install
- Different settings for feeding
- Moisture-resistant hopper
Things We Didn’t Like
- The amount of food dispensed may not always equal
Eheim Automatic Feeding Unit
Equipped with a ventilation system, this makes the food dry so that when it gets to your fish, it will not be soggy or mushy.
There is a user’s manual in order for you to know how to operate this unit so you won’t get lost. The size of the unit is 2 x 5 x 3 inches so it may not be that invasive in its size against the aquarium.
It uses digital programming so that you can set the time when it will dispense the fish. With a volume capacity of up to 100 ml, you can schedule your fish with up to 6 weeks of automatic feeding.
Since it has a transparent drum, it can be easy to see whether you need to refill the fish feeder or not yet.
Things We Liked
- Ventilation system for the food
- Small and portable
- Transparent food drum container
- Easy to operate
- A consistent amount of food dispensed
Things We Didn’t Like
- Not recommended for different mixes of sizes of food
NICREW Automatic Fish Feeder
With an adjustable clamp, this automatic fish feeder can be attached to any aquarium due to its mount design.
It has a digital readout on the side which allows you to feed your fish for times of the day. Since it has a moisture-resistant system, it can significantly keep fish food fresh for a long time.
This fish feeder may be for you if your tank is not that big since it can keep up to 60 grams of content.
You can set it at up to 5 automatic feedings per day whether you want it to be fed by the day or night.
You can use it for fish crisps, pellets, or flake food, and it may work on both marine and freshwater fish.
Things We Liked
- Moisture-resistant system
- Up to 5 feedings a day
- Digital readout
- Different foods can be used
- The idea for marine and freshwater fish
Things We Didn’t Like
- May not be ideal for large tanks
Petacc Automatic Fish Feeder
As a fish feeder with a tube design, this one has its digital readout on the side with the controls.
The touch controls can help you set it up with different feeding programs for up to 4 times a day, in which you can set it to single, double, or triple feeding.
Adding food to the dispenser is a breeze due to the opening mechanism of the food bucket.
The 360-degree rotation of the pedestal allows you to direct the fish pellets to your fish on specific areas for them to be able to get them.
It has a total capacity of 200 ml and since it has a hatch style, you can adjust how much food you want to pour into the tank. You can install it in either adhesive paste or with the included holder.
Things We Liked
- Good capacity
- Up to 4 feedings a day
- 360-degree rotation of the pedestal
- Hatch style door
- 2 ways of installation
Things We Didn’t Like
- The capacity may not be enough for much bigger tanks
TOPBRY Automatic Fish Feeder
With a USB charging mechanism, this one can be easy to operate and set.
It allows for 2 types of installations and you can also rotate it due to the 360-degree design of the pedestal so that the fish can get food from the right angle.
It can be fed up to 4 times a day with 1 to 3 rotations every single time. The feeder can last for up to 6 months due to its good battery life.
It can be used even for other aquatic pets, such as turtles, amphibians, and the like. You can put in strips of food, powders, pellets, and flakes in the unit. Its intuitive LED screen makes it easy to read and to operate as well.
Things We Liked
- 360-degree design of the pedestal
- 2 types of installations
- Up to 4 times of feeding a day
- USB charging
- LED screen
Things We Didn’t Like
- The feeding door could be a bit too large
IDREAMO Automatic Fish Feeder
This fish feeder has up to 200 ml of capacity and it can be charged using a USB port so keeping it up can be easy.
It also comes with a user manual in case you get lost. The timing of the aquarium feeder can be up to 4 times a day and then with 1 to 3 rotations.
It also has an LCD screen for you to find out the settings, by which you can set the feeding times.
It even has a moisture-proof fish food dispenser to keep your fish food away from the mold. It has a 360-degree pedestal so you can just aim the fish food wherever you like.
Installing the unit can either be done with the double-sided sticker or the holder of the pedestal. The sliding door allows you to control food portions.
Things We Liked
- USB charging
- 4 times a day feeding
- LCD screen
- Comes with a user manual
- Moisture-proof dispenser
Things We Didn’t Like
- May still have condensation at the bottom (doesn’t affect food)
PIXNOR Automatic Fish Feeder
As a fish feeder, it is USB powered so you can just charge it using a USB port or cable during a power failure using a power bank.
It has up to 175 ml of capacity, which can be sufficient for most medium-sized tanks out there. It even has support for Wi-Fi app remote control feeding so you can just sit back, relax, and watch your fish be fed.
The unit can be attached using the included clip and Velcro so that you can keep it steady and sturdy on top of the aquarium.
You can use it for different types of fish food, such as strips, powders, and fish pellets as well. The food outlet is adjustable so you can designate the amount that’s ideal or okay for your fish.
Things We Liked
- Adjustable food outlet
- Wi-Fi controls
- USB charging
- Easy attachment
- Okay for most fish food type
Things We Didn’t Like
- The USB cord length may not be that ideal
KUIENSI Automatic Fish Feeder
As a fish feeder with a capacity of 200 ml, this one uses only 2 AA batteries to run, which makes it ideal for beginners and for power failure.
It can dispense fish food for up to 4 times a day and you can also set the amount. There are 9 gears that you can adjust in this electric timed feeder. There are also 2 unit colors: green and orange.
The battery for the fish feeder can last up to 3 months or so. It has a ventilation system that keeps the food dry so your fish food won’t get mold or contamination and it also won’t get spoiled.
The unit is backed by a 12-month warranty and a 2-month return period.
Things We Liked
- Ventilation system for the food
- Only uses 2 AA batteries to run
- Large capacity
- Feeding timer
- 12-month warranty
Things We Didn’t Like
- Not ideal for outdoor settings
Wieppo Automatic Fish Feeder
As a fish feeder, this one has 2 dispensers so you can use it for two different types of food.
It has 3 different timer settings and you can also use it for other aquatic pets, such as turtles. There are 3 types of installation methods available for this unit.
You can install it as a base funnel, a fish clamp, or using the hook and loop setup. You can set the feeding program to 8 hours, 12 hours, or up to 24 hours.
You can just use 2 AA batteries to run it or you can use the provided USB port for constant running or power charging.
You can use it for either ponds or aquariums due to its size. The two boxes or fish food containers are sized 50 ml and 100 ml.
Things We Liked
- 2 fish food dispensers
- Uses only 2 AA batteries
- Programmable feeding times
- Usable for ponds
- Different methods of installation
Things We Didn’t Like
- You can’t control the specific time of the day of feeding
Things to Consider Before You Buy
Before choosing the best automatic fish feeder, here are some pointers:
Why should I buy an automatic fish feeder?
An automatic fish feeder is beneficial for your fish when it comes down to:
- Not forgetting to feed fish during busy hours
- Feeding fish during vacation or leave
- Feeding fish even during power outages
- Ensures the right amount of fish food
- Avoids overfeeding or underfeeding
How do I choose an automatic fish feeder?
To choose a good automatic fish feeder, consider the following:
- The capacity should be right for your tank size
- Option for battery use or USB charging
- Easy to use and install
- Long-lasting operation
- Programmable feeding times
How to install an automatic fish feeder?
To install your automatic fish feeder, you can just refer to its user manual so that you can position it correctly onto your aquarium or pond. The fish feeder can usually be hooked with a mechanism or even used with double-sided adhesive.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, our top pick for the best automatic fish feeder is the Zacro Automatic Fish Feeder due to its large capacity, easy controls, and the USB charging. You can go for up to 4 feedings a day and it can also be used for turtle tanks.
While the feeding door could be a bit too large, this is a minor con and can be worked around using tape to seal some parts of the door.