Best Automatic Fish Feeders Reviewed & Rated For Quality and Functionality
William
Brian Price
We love our pets so much that we are constantly looking for ways to enhance their lives. One of the best ways to keep them healthy and happy is by providing them a regular diet. Despite not needing a lot of attention, fish must be fed properly and regularly in order to live a long life. Since our lives are already hectic, sometimes it is impossible to stick to a scheduled feeding. This is where automatic fish feeders come in handy. Aquarium fish feeders are devices that are designed to feed fish, turtles, or other aquatic pets at regular intervals. There are many benefits to having an automatic fish feeder. For instance, there are times when you just can’t be at home when your aquatic friend needs food. It also ensures that your pets receive the right amount of food every time, so there is no over or underfeeding.
In a Hurry? The test winner after 15 hrs of research
See through food drum
Includes a universal installation clamp
Very easy to use
Great for any type of fish
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Eheim Battery Operated -
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals
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Fish Mate F14
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Proche Digital Automatic
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API 3-Day Pyramid
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Nicrew Automatic Fish Feeder
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Zoo Med BettaMatic
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EHEIM Aquarium
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Black Digital Automatic
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KLAREN Digital
- Criteria Used for Evaluation
- Other Factors to Consider
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
10 Best Automatic Fish Feeders
1. Eheim Battery Operated
See through food drum
Includes a universal installation clamp
Very easy to use
Great for any type of fish
Certain large pellets can jam food opening
And the top spot on the list goes to an advanced model, and the best from Eheim. Using this battery operated feeder will make a lot easier in a home that has fish.
Read moreOptions Up Front
Customers can purchase this as a single feeder, or in a 2 or 5 count pack. This helps out a lot no matter what type of fish owner you are.
Features and Specifications
Built-in fan and ventilation system
Can hold up to 6 weeks of food
Cost and Value
With a 3-year warranty attached, this can be a really great value if you get the 5 feeder pack. The price is low, and the unit can hold over a months’ worth of food. Everything works as it’s supposed to with this product, and there is even a quick start guide included. Advanced and user-friendly, once you use an Eheim system you won’t go back.
2. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals
Has a secret chamber that releases tubifex worms
In a smaller setup could potentially last an entire month
Simple and easy to use
Great for short vacations
Ups the nitrates in a tank
The Pyramid is back on the list again, this time from a different company. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals has concentrated on using a 14 day Pyramid.
Read moreJust Drop It In And Go
With a much longer lifespan, this is the Pyramid to own if you take a lot of trips away. Just drop it in the tank and leave without worrying about coming home to dead fish.
Features and Specifications
Handles 20 fish in a 10-gallon tank
Will feed for up to 7-14 days
Cost and Value
Having a single big Pyramid compared to several smaller ones is a better value long-term. The price is the same as the multipack and lasts longer than all of them put together. With only one other automatic fish feeder keeping this from the top spot, the Pyramid method has once again shown its value. Drop it in the tank and enjoy a long trip without a complicated setup.
3. Fish Mate F14
Quality quartz timer
Handles all types of fish nourishment without troubles
Great battery indicator
Can provide up to 14 meals.
Changing food time is hard
Don’t let the weird look of the F14 throw you off, as it’s a very efficient way to feed multiple fish. With a little bit of experimentation, fish owners will have the best multi-fish setup available.
Read moreBattery Indicator
Built into the unit is a battery indicator so you know exactly how much juice you have left. Using this, buyers will never have to worry about their feeder failing while they’re away.
Features and Specifications
Handles up to 14 meals
Can be set to feed 1-4 times per day
Cost and Value
With the quartz timer as the best feature of this product, the low price is even more attractive. Expect to get plenty of years of worth out of this product. This is considered to be one of the more traditional automatic feeders and is still one of the best. You won’t encounter any problems using one of the best on the market.
4. Proche Digital Automatic
Low energy use
Good for different types of food
Comes with easy-to-follow manual
Great customer service
Different install methods
Not ideal for a small amount of fish
Some complaints about set up
Proche Digital Automatic is a fish and turtle feeder that comes in handy whenever you find it impossible to go home to feed your aquatic pets or if you feel that you don’t have the time to feed them properly. One of its biggest advantages is that it works with a large variety of fish nourishment, including flakes, pellets, powders, and strips. It gives you two different options for installing, allowing you to choose the best way for your style of tank.
Read moreUses Little Power
When you plan on spending a long period of time away, you don’t have to worry about the Proche Digital Automatic fish feeder dying on you. It consumes little power and the batteries included, can last for 3 months.
Easy to Set Up
Choosing a feeder with a digital automatic display system will make it easier to program it and make adjustments. The one created by Proche allows you to adjust feeding frequency whenever you find it necessary.
Cost and Value
This fish feeder comes at a great price and gives you the tranquility of knowing your pet is safe while you are out. It works for a variety of different fish and turtles and is backed with a 1-year warranty and amazing Proche lifetime Customer Service.
5. API 3-Day Pyramid
Works with fresh or saltwater fish
Requires no previous setup
Incredibly simple to use and install
Great for 15-20 fish.
In tanks with bad filtration, the water will get cloudy
The Pyramid is the most unique automatic fish feeder on the list and is perfect if you’re going away for a few days. With a couple of seconds, all of the fish in your home will be taken care of.
Read moreSimple To Use
Just drop it in and walk away, no extra work needed. It is simply a dissolvable block of food that breaks up slowly over time.
Features and Specifications
Comes in a pack of 4
Good for 15-20 fish in a 10-gallon tank
Cost and Value
With four in a pack, this can go long way with its low price. Looking at it from a per Pyramid cost, this is the cheapest option on the list. Not having to worry about your fish over the weekend is something the Pyramid can help with. Think of it as a foolproof way to feed fish when leaving for a few days.
6. Nicrew Automatic Fish Feeder
Fan feed 5 times a day
Can pause program
Integrated fan
Easy to set portion size
Does not accommodate all aquariums
Some complaints about the directions
Nicrew is a brand that has a long reputation of making pet lovers’ lives more enjoyable and comfortable. The automatic fish feeder designed by Nicrew is highly recommended due to its superior quality and ease of use. Compared to its competition, this device doesn’t let moisture in, preventing in this way the food from spoiling, especially when your free time pursuits extend.
Read moreIntegrated Fan
Nicrew Automatic Fish Feeder comes equipped with an integrated fan which keeps the food dry to avoid spoiling. The ventilation system is designed in a way that allows you to pause it just by pressing the on/off button.
Set Desired Portions
The Nicrew Automatic Fish Feeder ensures that your fish is fed properly because the portion sizes are controlled when feeding automatically. You can easily fix the desired portion by setting the adjustable slider.
Cost and Value
This fish feeder is designed for long term use. Taking into consideration the advanced technology it uses to keep the food dry, it is worth investing in this product.
7. Zoo Med BettaMatic
Batteries are included
Also comes with rail kit
Comes with sample food for the fish
Great feeding tool for betta fish
Only feeds once per day
Sometimes the extras make a difference, or in the case of the BettaMatic, all the difference in the world. Zoo Med put customers first with this product, giving them more than enough reason to consider it as their top choice.
Read moreFood Included
Along with the product comes sample food for Betta fish which should last a short while. It’s pretty large for sample size and will give users a good start when they need it.
Features and Specifications
Uses 2 AA batteries
Feeds Betta fish once per day
Cost and Value
The price is low so it won’t scare away any potential customers. And with batteries and sample food included, it pays for itself within the first year. Extras are always appreciated when it comes to any product for consumers. Zoo Med offers a really great choice, and it may turn out to be the best value you can get for an automatic fish feeder.
8. EHEIM Aquarium
No food is wasted with this intuitive design
Can also be used as a defrosting station
All food is fed to the fish underwater
Great for all fish - fresh and salt water
Can be problematic in tanks with territorial fish
Eheim isn’t surprising to see on the list, but this model may turn out to be new to a lot of fish enthusiasts. The company did a little bit of research when making this automatic fish feeder, and it may have paid off.
Read moreUnderwater Feeding
Typically a feeder will send the food out and it will float to the top of the water, leaving food pieces that are not eaten to float down and contaminate the water over time. This model feeds all food underwater at a fixed location and cuts down on the wasted food.
Features and Specifications
Universal fitting with clamps
Can be used in fresh or marine water
Cost and Value
Suitable for big tanks, buyers will find the low price of this product just the right fit. Mid to smaller tanks will get less value from this type of automatic feeder. This model will really find a comfortable home in a big fish tank, so use it wisely. As long as you don’t have fish that fight over food, then it is a quality buy.
9. Black Digital Automatic
Small enough to fit in any size tank
Only weighs 7.4 ounces
Easy to use and install
Cost-friendly price tag.
Batteries aren’t included
A lot of customers have talked a lot about this particular feeder, with a lot of positive praise. Coming in at #9 on the list it does a good job even if it is one of the more basic models on the list.
Read moreSmall And Functional
An automatic feeder of this size has its advantages, starting with tank compatibility. It can go in smaller tanks or bigger tanks without too large of a hit on reliability.
Features and Specifications
Uses 2 AA batteries
Measurements are 4.3x10cm
Cost and Value
The price is low so won’t be an issue for anyone looking at automatic feeders. Buyers that don’t want to do a lot of guesswork with sizes will find this the most useful. Tanks come in all sizes, so having an automatic feeder that can accommodate them is great. You’ll have no trouble installing this and enjoying the benefits.
10. KLAREN Digital
Stops moisture from spoiling saved food
Can handle just about any type of nourishments you throw at it
Offers consumer three different modes
Can feed fish up to 8 times per day
Depending on which model you get, some features will be unavailable
This is the first automatic fish feeder on the list with multiple customization options. Buyers that need to have more control over their tank feedings will get a lot of use out of this product.
Read moreThree Different Models
Klaren offers this product in models 2003D, 2005D and 2008D. There are differences in feedings per day, size and digital timer options.
Features and Specifications
Can feed up to 8 times per day
Comes with 2 AA batteries
Cost and Value
There are some things that the 2005D model has that the 2003D model has, so the value is going to be dependent on which one you get. All of them are low priced, so there are no worries about wasted money. Klaren did a good job with cramming as many options as possible into separate models. It’s a great buy and may turn into a worthwhile investment for consumers with multiple fish tanks.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Value
Price isn’t too much of a concern with automatic fish feeders since all of the great ones are low priced. We used this criterion to get rid of overpriced options that didn’t offer equal value to their expense. Most of the products that we got rid of were for much larger tanks than what would be in normal homes. For consumer grade level feeders, the price for top tier equipment won’t be that much more than decorations for a tank. This versatility in price is great for first-time buyers of automatic feeders.
Use
The next thing we looked at was the amount of food that could be included in the feeders, or for blocks the duration before they completely disappeared.
The results were surprising, with a lot of the better products lasting in excess of two weeks. We ranked the products that took multiple food types higher than the rest since they were much more valuable. This is reflected on the list by including a lot of the digital models that were favored for this specific feature.
By using a feeder that takes multiple types of food, you can use it with more complicated fish/tank setups.
Size
Size is something to take into consideration when buying an automatic fish feeder. Not only will it make a difference in smaller tanks, but more fish and larger fish will mean that more food needs to be added to the feeder. The frequency of feeding will also come into play, so choosing smaller models over bigger ones won’t help out if you want longevity in the scheduling. By taking size into account as a criterion, we found that models offering the balance between their actual size and food capacity were overall better options.
Model
The design is something we took into consideration based on the number of users that want their feeder to match a theme. This was another criterion that only catered to electronic fish feeders, with a big advantage going to digital versions that had better casings. There weren’t a lot of standouts with this criterion, so we gave a lot of points to brands that went beyond the usual static design. Most of the options looked similar to one another, so only a few really gained spots on the top ten for showing initiative with their theme. A good design also helps make fish more comfortable with having a foreign object in their space.
Durability
When consumers are leaving their tanks for days at a time, durability is important when the feeder is in a tank with larger fish. Durability was a criterion that also covered reliability and resistance when in a tank of aggressive fish. Once your fish know where the food comes from they will swarm it, potentially causing damage if the feeder is weak. That is why high durability is important for an automatic feeder, at least an electronic one. Dissolvable options were treated favorably with this criteria since they didn’t suffer the same setbacks.
Expert Interviews & Opinions
Value Use Size Model Durability 
It’s important for us to mention that fish feeders are made by different manufacturers as you can see from the list we have reviewed. They’ll all possibly have some differences here and there. This is the reason why we think that you should keep the manual that comes with the product.
Automatic fish feeders are different. They have different numbers of chambers where food can be loaded. Using a clock mechanism, the feeder rotates the chambers so that the food drops into the fish pond or aquarium at a specified time. This ensures that the fish are fed on a regular basis without the risk that they have too much food.
Other Factors to Consider
Application
Customization was the next criteria and was very specific to digital and analog automatic feeders. Since dissolving feeders don’t have any customization options, they were left off this criterion. This criterion covered scheduling options and how easy they were to set. Digital automatic feeders won this round, with analog options still getting points here and there. Buyers should still consider getting extra batteries with their purchase in case included ones go out. For products that used proprietary batteries, we excluded them from the list since they were harder to buy in a pinch.
Battery Life
Battery usage is something we decided to add as a criterion due to the lack of information on the subject. Traditionally, electronic feeders would last just fine for months without needing to change out the battery. But the problem remains that a lot of electronic feeders still don’t include a low battery warning. So products with these criteria were given points for their battery indication options along with how long they went without needing to change out a set of batteries. The data helped out a lot of models that ended up in the top five of the list for their extraordinary battery usage capabilities.
Brand
There are no favored brands in the automatic fish feeding industry, although there is a lot of favoritism towards auto feeding tablets. The big type in that category are the ‘Pyramids’, large ones that dissolve and can last for up to 3-30 days. And beyond the tablets, there is a mix of traditional quartz timer feeders and new age digital feeders.
Frequently Asked Questions
q: Will using tablets alter the water quality?
Only on tanks with bad filtration systems. You’ll notice the water get cloudy and nasty over time, so always make sure you have a good system in place before using them.
q: What Tank Types Accept Automatic Feeders?
All of them, thanks to universal brackets. If a bracket isn’t included, then purchasing one separately is still an option.
q: How long will one last?
The average for automatic fish feeders seems to be about two weeks. They vary based on size, brand, and price. There are plenty that can last beyond two weeks, but at that point, it may be better to get a live person to feed your fish. Depending on the size and how aggressive the fish is, you may want to adjust the feeding time to less or more based on their eating habits. This is something that fish owners with multiple different types in one tank have to account for. With different personalities sharing a single feeder, one group may choose to eat more than the next.
q: What Are The Best Brands?
Eheim, Fish Mate, and Aquarium Pharmaceuticals are the leaders of the pack. But there are plenty of other companies not too far behind with their products. The differences between the feeding types offered by these three companies have given users a lot of options. Electronic feeders are dominant, but not to the point where they automatically make the top three of every list. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to see brands cater to customers with multiple different types of fish feeders. Depending on the type of aquarium and fish breed needing to be fed, this can lead to a huge advantage in sales.
q: What Are The Best Types?
There are only two types of automatic fish feeders worth noting- electronic and dissolving. Electronic feeders operate by battery and have a range of customization options. You can set feeding intervals and amounts at ease without having to dive too deep into the advanced options. This is the best product to use when you have different kinds of fish in one tank. The downside is that they are only as compatible as they tank they’re fitted to. So if for some reason the feeder can’t fit on the tank, then you will have to default to using dissolving food. Dissolving food doesn’t require the use of a tank and works by slowly breaking down over time to feed your fish. With this method, only one type of food can be used since the food is the dissolving tab itself.
q: Is There A Limit To The Amount Of Fish It Feeds?
Yes, and there is also a limit to the size of the tank that is supported. This is something that is overlooked when getting an automatic fish feeder for the first time. Getting a model that doesn’t support the amount of fish you have in the tank leads to undereating. There are also concerns with the fish fighting over the limited amount of food available in the tank. To keep this from happening users should always check the tank size limit and compare it to the fish amount/size limit. Using these two variables will give you a better idea of whether an automatic fish feeder can support your use.
q: Why Are Some Fish Tanks Incompatible?
If an automatic fish feeder can’t activate its feeding mechanism in the tank, then your fish will starve. There are several reasons this may happen, starting with not being able to clamp the product within the tank. It needs to be immovable or there is a risk it’ll get bumped out of place and thrown off of the schedule. Fish sustenance type is something else that needs to be looked at since not all types are compatible. Certain pellets may be too big to put in the feeder without jamming it. So while the automatic feeder fits in the tank, it still isn’t guaranteed to support the type of food your fish eat.
q: Can You Set Feeding Intervals?
Yes, but only with electronic fish feeders. Your options will be limited by the specific model used, so not all intervals will be available. There are digital and analog options available, so choose wisely based on your level of understanding scheduling mechanics. The good news is that there are no major innovations between analog and digital fish feeders that would make you choose one over the other. Digital just happens to be easier to set up and use, but other than that analog and digital are largely the same. Other than setting intervals you can also set the amount of food that is released.
q: Are Feeding Blocks Bad?
Depending on who you ask, dissolving feeders will either be the best thing ever or the worst. They are often found under automatic fish feeding categories as ‘vacation blocks’ and are just as widely used as electronic feeders. The only downsides are that you can’t manually set a feeding interval, there are less food type options and some tank fish/water types don’t play nice with dissolving food past a certain point. The upside is that there are no customization options so you can drop it and forget it, some blocks can even last up to two weeks and there is no danger of the block malfunctioning like an electronic feeder.
q: Are The Prices High?
Automatic fish feeding prices are generally low, costing no more than regular tank accessories. A lot of times they are even bundled with new tank purchases due to the low cost but high value. Consumers can purchase a quality fish feeder for the same price as fish tank decorations. And when you go away from electronic feeders and look into dissolving blocks, the price is even lower. Either type of feeder is a must for any owner of fish, especially those that make frequent trips out of town. Higher tier options are available at expensive prices, but they don’t differ much from the low-cost models.
q: How Hard Are They To Set Up?
Electronic fish feeders can be set up in less than five minutes when following the included directions. This includes analog and digital choices, so the hardest part comes down to setting up the device in an optimal position within the tank. Taking a look at any quick start guide will give you a general idea of the process since most feeders are similar to set up. Dissolvable blocks are much different and require no setup- just drop and walk away. Special instructions that are included for the blocks concentrate on compatibility and cleanup.
q: Will Any Fish Nourishment Work With An Automatic Feeder?
No, so make sure to check the products requirements. Some only accept flakes, while others accept pellets. There are even models that accept a mixture of the two and can dispense them separately. With no guarantee of food compatibility, it falls on the customer to make sure their model can handle the type of food the fish need. Putting the wrong food in a feeder will make it jam up, cause mold and can even pollute the water after a long period of inactivity. So buyers should put a priority on using the right food with the correct feeders.
