Fish Feeders Guide
Food is the basic necessity for fish to grow just like it is for any animal or plant. In an aquarium, food for fish is limited to what is manually provided as there is very little chance of natural food sources in the aquarium. Therefore it is the responsibility of the aquarium owner to ensure that the fish are fed. This is usually done by providing them with a balanced diet in the form of processed food at regular intervals. However, this method is rather primitive and can cause problems such as malnourishment or overfeeding. It is precisely for this reason that automated fish feeders are a neat addition to any aquarium.
The principle behind a fish feeder is fairly simple. At a preset time, a preset quantity of fish food is released into the aquarium. A fish feeder has a reservoir which is to be filled with the food that is supposed to be added into the aquarium. The whole process is computerized and modern ones have a digital time setting methodology. Fish feeders are especially useful if there is nobody to take care of the feeding process on a regular basis like during office hours.
Feeders come in a variety of types from the simple reservoir-feeder to the fully automated multi nutrient releasing feeders. The simplest model just has a reservoir and at the flick of a switch releases food into the aquarium. On the other hand, the more advancec ones have multiple reservoirs, each with its own independent control to ensure that the various types of fish in the aquarium get the right type of food at the right time.
While fish feeders reduce the effort on the owner’s part and human involvement as a whole, they aren’t always beneficial. For example, due to changes in a fish’s natural cycle, it might require more food than normal (pregnant fishes for example). There are some advanced feeders that handle these but they are used primarily in commercial aquariums and are quite rarely produced for home use.
Depending on the type of fish you have and the availability of manpower to feed the fish, make the right decision regarding the type of feeder. It is always a good idea to have a feeder and the ideal thing to do would be to occasionally check on the fish for their requirement for more food and the like.
