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Colorful and vibrant, betta fish are a source of joy for their owners. However, whenever you leave for a vacation and your fishy friends are left behind for a week or so, it’s important to ensure that they still eat regularly. Thankfully, there are some amazing vacation feeders that ensure you maintain a healthy diet for your betta fish for when you aren’t at home.
Even when you are not on a vacation but simply need to be away due to an important meeting or just having a hectic lifestyle in general, this feeder can ensure that your fish get an uninterrupted and solid feeding schedule.
If you are looking for the best vacation feeder for betta fish, you can expect to get a bit confused, as there is a plethora of options available. There are many brands and models that promise to provide the best care, and this is why it can be so difficult to make a choice.
To make your task easier and take the stress out of your buying decision, our team has reviewed more than a dozen products. After careful review and analysis, we have created a list of products that are most suitable for your pet betta fish.
Read on to find the complete reviews of each product, but if you are in a hurry, we simply recommend that you go with our editor’s pick: the EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder (see Amazon) with its easy setup and worry-free feeding whether you are away on a vacation or even at home.
Product Names | Capacity | Color | |
#1. EHEIM TWIN Automatic Feeder, Battery Operation | 80 Milliliters | Random | See Price |
#2. EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser | 100 Milliliters | Gray | See Price |
#3. TOPBRY Automatic Fish Feeder | 200 Milliliters | Black | See Price |
#4. Lychee Aquarium Fish Feeder Vacation Aquarium | 200 Milliliters | Black | See Price |
#5. Seahighpet Aquarium Automatic Fish Feeder | 200 Milliliters | Black | See Price |
#6. Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder | n/a | Black | See Price |
#1. EHEIM TWIN Automatic Feeder, Battery Operation
This twin automatic feeder from EHEIM is a sleek and smart product, and it’s easy to use, too. This feeder is comprised of two separate chambers for different types of food, such as granules, sticks, pellets, or flakes. It can be programmed individually for optimum use as well.
The aerated dual chambers ensure that the food you store in them stays dry and good for days while you are away. It also has functions for programming the best natural feeding conditions for your pet. We love the fact that two types of food can be fed at the same time, too.
This vacation feeder comes with a large display and includes the batteries you’ll need as well. You can program the feeder by setting hours or minutes for the feeds, so your fish will be on the exact schedule they need.
Product features and specifications
- Measurements: 6.34 in. x 2.91 in. x 4.65 in.
- Weight: 11.2 oz.
- Individual programming
- Two separate food chambers
- Provides natural feeding conditions
- Large display and batteries included
- 2 AAA batteries required
User/Customer Reviews
Those who have used this vacation feeder have been impressed with its portion sizes and have said that it results in plenty of food for the pets. People have also said that the product is comparatively easier to use and set up as well. A few customers have warned that this vacation feeder does not work too well with the large flakes, however.
Conclusion
The EHEIM TWIN Automatic Feeder (shop now) is a well-built pet feeder for guilt-free and stress-free holidays away. There is enough food capacity for an 80-liter setup, and this can typically last for well over two weeks. It is easy to set up, use, and refill, too. Overall, we feel that this product gives users good value for their money.
#2. EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser
This fish feeder, or automatic food dispenser, from EHEIM is an ideal option to ensure that your freshwater or marine fish are well-fed while you are on vacation. These units are battery-operated, and they work great for everyday purposes, too, even while you are at home.
This EHEIM feeder conveniently fits most aquariums and comes with a universal installation clamp for easy setup. With the help of this feeder, you can make sure your fish gets reliable and accurate portions in a timely and consistent manner. It comes with easy digital LCD programming for a maximum of eight feedings before you’ll need to mess with it again.
We love the fact that these feeders are easy to set up and use, and they also come with an easy beginner’s guide to getting started. There is an integrated fan and ventilation system to ensure that the food remains dry and good for a long time, too. With the adjustable slider, you can set the desired portion sizes for your betta fish as well.
Product features and specifications
- Measurements: 5.7 in. (length)
- Weight: 9.39 oz.
- 2 AA batteries required
- Great for everyday use
- Convenient, worry-free feeding
- Integrated fan and ventilation system
User/Customer Reviews
Those who have used these feeders for their saltwater aquariums have said that it helped them provide the correct portions for feeding their fish, ensuring their dietary health. A few users have mentioned that although the programming might seem tedious and time-consuming, it becomes pretty intuitive after some time.
Conclusion
The EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder programmable automatic food dispenser is one of the best quality and technologically advanced feeders you can buy. With easy pre-programmed options and convenient operation, you can use this product for feeding your pet fish whenever needed and without any hassle.
#3. TOPBRY Automatic Fish Feeder
The next product on our list is the TOPBRY automatic fish feeder, which comes with a built-in large-capacity lithium battery that can be used for 3 to 6 months when fully charged. This unit allows you to use different feeding times, and you can set up to four exact feeding times every day, with 1 to 3 rotations every time.
We like the fact that you can easily add fish food at the top of the fish feeder without having to take everything out or apart. This feeder also allows you to increase or decrease the amount of dispensed food as needed. As the pedestal of the digital fish feeder rotates 360°, you can adjust it to be in the most suitable position possible after installation as well.
There are two options for installing the auto fish feeder, too: using a pedestal or sticking it on the tank itself with a double-sided adhesive. This fish feeder works well with several types of foods—such as flakes, pellets, powders, and strips—so it’s sure to be a hit no matter what diet your betta fish prefers.
Products features and specifications
- Measurements: 2.7 in. x 5.9 in.
- Weight: 9.6 oz.
- Two installation methods
- Four feeding time settings
- Large capacity feeder
- Add food easily on the top
- Built-in lithium battery
User/Customer Reviews
Many people have said that this feeder is so good that they bought it for vacation-related purposes but ended up using it regularly so that their fish get food on time regardless of their schedules. Users have also mentioned that the feeder is easy to program and the battery really lasts for a long time. A few customers have mentioned that the feeder may not be perfect for flakes.
Conclusion
The TOPBRY automatic fish feeder is a perfect fish feeder that works beautifully out of the box. It can be conveniently used for feeding different types of food to multiple fish, it is easy to use, and the programming is pretty straightforward. Overall, we feel that this product offers good value for the money.
#4. Lychee Aquarium Fish Feeder Vacation Aquarium
This automatic vacation fish feeder is from Lychee, and it allows you to feed as many fish as you want while you are away with the help of some simple settings. This liberates you from any feeding worries while you are on vacation or off on business. You can easily set up the feeding times and the amount of fish food to be dispensed with ease.
Users can conveniently adjust the slider to set the food amount to be dispensed and the specific feeding times to up to four per day, with one to two rotations per time. You may switch off the manual mode at any time and let it function automatically when you are away for a vacation or any work.
The feeder can be installed in two ways: clipping it on the tank wall or affixing the feeder with a double-sided adhesive on the tank cover. You are free to choose based on your own preferences. Powered by two AAA batteries, the LCD indicates when the power is low, too, so you’ll always know when it’s time to replace the batteries and keep the feedings going as scheduled.
Product features and specifications
- Measurements: 2.95 in. x 4.3 in.
- Weight: 7.83 oz.
- Powered by 2 AAA batteries
- Easy to install
- Up to 4 feeding times per day
- Automatic fish feeder
User/Customer Reviews
People who have used this product have been impressed with the ease with which it dispenses a large quantity of flake food. Users have mentioned that the setup is easy and you can watch a few videos to get a better idea of what to do if needed. A few customers have mentioned that they wished the drum could hold more food, though.
Conclusion
The Lychee aquarium fish feeder is a great vacation feeder that comes with multiple options to help you select and adjust your preferred modes of feeding for your pet fish. This particular model is great for vacation purposes, but may not work well for the long term due to its diminutive size. Overall, this feeder is a good product that gets the job done while you are away.
#5. Seahighpet Aquarium Automatic Fish Feeder
This automatic fish feeder by Seahighpet enables you to schedule automatic feedings three times per day, and each feeding can be easily rotated 1 to 3 times a day. Users may set the feeding time as per their specific preferences, and the large LCD digital screen allows for easy programming and adjustments.
We love this feeder’s moisture-proof cover design, which opens only by gravity to dispense only as much food as needed. This keeps the food dry and prevents the fish food from getting dampened. Another benefit is that this product allows you to adjust the battery usage on the monitor to help it last for 2 to 4 months, saving you power.
This automatic fish feeder houses a large and easy-to-use mechanism for dispensing flakes, pellets, powders, and other fish feeds. Users can easily adjust the portions of food by simply making some programming changes on the door of the feeder.
Product features and specifications
- Measurements: 2.8 in. x 6.12 in.
- Weight: 2.24 oz.
- Large capacity
- Easy to use
- Two different positioning methods
- 2 AA batteries required
- Easy to program
- Continuous use for 2-4 months
User/Customer Reviews
Most people have said that this automatic fish feeder makes dispensing food for fish less stressful, and you can easily set the schedule as well as the desired portions. Some users have mentioned that this product did the job well, but it was difficult to set up. A few customers have warned that the battery that comes with the feeder did not last long enough.
Conclusion
The Seahighpet aquarium automatic fish feeder (see Amazon) is a well-built and sturdy vacation food dispenser that does the job as expected. It features a moisture-proof design, and the large capacity makes it suitable to feed fish for a few days while you are away from home. Overall, this feeder delivers good value for the money.
#6. Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder
This highly customizable fish feeder from Fish Mate can be easily mounted on the hood of any tank or installed on the edges of the tank’s glass with the help of the included brackets. This feeder works well to feed most fish foods. It features 14 individual meal portions so your fish can enjoy a diet with plenty of variation.
The Fish Mate F14 is a great solution to feed your fish whenever you’re off at work or away on vacation. The design of this feeder ensures the food stays dry without getting clogged or going stale, too.
This aquarium fish feeder is a suitable option for aquariums that are on the small or medium side, only at about 150 liters as their maximum capacity. If you have a bigger tank for your betta fish or one that is stocked rather heavily, it is suggested that you enlist the assistance of more than just one of these feeders for the best results. One Fish Mate feeder can serve up to 14 portions of any type of fish food.
Product features and specifications
- Measurements: 4.65 x 5.47 x 1.54 inches
- Weight: 6.56 oz.
- Compact and reliable
- 1 AA battery required
- Best with granule or pellet food
- Not suitable for outdoor ponds
- Serves up to 14 individual portions
- Feeds all fish foods, including flake
- Reliable and accurate quartz timer
- Battery condition indicator
User/Customer Reviews
Several people have mentioned that this is a smartly designed fish feeder with different compartments. However, there are some flaws in the design. Most users have said that this feeder gets the job done while you are on a vacation and almost stimulates natural feeding. A few customers have noted that the instructions are not too clear, though.
Conclusion
The Fish Mate F14 aquarium fish feeder has all that you need to take care of your pet betta fish while you are away. It has 14 different compartments, is reliable and accurate, and provides the right portions of food for your betta fish in your absence. All in all, this feeder is faster and more accurate than most of the others available in the market in this price range.
Buying Guide: Best Vacation Feeder for Betta Fish
While the vacation feeders for betta fish mentioned above have been carefully selected and reviewed, you may still need some help narrowing down your choice. To help you with this, we have created a list of things to consider before you make the final choice. Read on to find out more.
Choosing the right size
First, you need to start with choosing the right size because automatic fish feeders come in a wide range of sizes, so you’ll need to decide which one meets the needs of your tank size. For example, if you have a small tank with just a few critters, you do not need a huge feeder, but if there are dozens of fish in your tank, you will certainly need a bigger one.
Reliable food dispenser
You also need a feeder that has solid adjustment and programming abilities to allow you to feed only as much as necessary to your fish to avoid overfeeding them. You need to choose a feeder that comes with a reliable and accurate timer to dispense food in the appropriate size as preferred.
Purpose
Additionally, you need to identify the reason behind your purchase: do you want the feeder to be only used while you’re on vacation, or do you also want to use it daily since you tend to be forgetful? Consider your lifestyle and other such matters when you choose to get a vacation feeder for your betta fish.
Type of food
There are some automatic fish feeders that can hold any type of food, while some are equipped to handle only some special types. So, you need to consider the type of food you feed to your betta fish before making the final choice. If you have different fish diet requirements, you may want to consider buying more than one feeder or one that can handle several foods.
Humidity control
You always need to check the various features of a feeder, and one of the most important ones is humidity control. As the general design of these feeders requires you to put a feeder over an aquarium, it is important to ensure that the feeder has a humidity control mechanism in place to ensure that the food does not become wet and soggy while waiting to be dispensed.
Power supply
Most of the feeders available are battery-operated, but there may be some that are powered by electricity and will require you to plug them into an outlet. The perk of battery-operated feeders is that you can put in a fresh battery before going on a vacation and usually be set. However, batteries have a limited lifetime, so you may also want to invest in a more reliable plug-in digital feeder. As another option, you may instead want to get some rechargeable batteries.
Timers
Automatic fish feeders today come with digitally set timers that can be quite similar to programming a digital clock. You can easily set multiple feedings per day and even adjust them down to the minute. Some products even let you control how many revolutions a rotating barrel feeder will make.
Ventilation system
When we say a “ventilation system,” it means that there should be a means to ensure that the fish food stays good and in viable condition for a longer period when you are away. This is a vital parameter that you may want to check in your feeder of choice. Wet and soggy food that’s become dampened will not dispense properly nor stay good while you’re away, and this can lead to numerous problems.
Portion control
This is an important feature because this factor can be the difference between a happy vibrant aquarium and a dead fish. You need to avoid overfeeding your fish so that it does not get sick while you are away. Your betta fish needs only a tiny amount of fish food at specific times, so this is something you might want to check.
Benefits of Using an Automatic Fish Feeder
Cost-efficient
Automatic fish feeders not only save you from worry and guilt while you are on a vacation but also save you money in the long run, too. It does this by dispensing the pre-portioned and programmed amounts of food at the right times. This feature prevents food from being wasted in the tank.
Saves time
If you work in an office, you do not have to constantly worry about getting home on time to feed your pet betta fish. These feeders can save you time that you would otherwise spend rushing home early to avoid leaving your fish feeling hungry for too long.
Reliable
Automatic fish feeders come with timers that make these products perfect for betta parents who have a busy schedule. These allow you to set the feeding times so you can relax, knowing that your fish will have the food at the right time.
Maintains a healthy tank ecosystem
The aquarium will get clouded up eventually, and there is nothing you can do about it. However, you can definitely slow down the rate at which this occurs. Sometimes, the water becomes dirty due to the accumulation of excess and rotten fish food, and the use of a fish feeder helps to control that.
Related Questions
How many days can my betta fish go without food?
Betta fish have very tiny stomachs, and they need less food. They can survive anywhere between 10-14 days without food. However, it is recommended to not leave them not too long without giving the right portions while also preventing overfeeding.
Should I leave the light on or off for my betta fish while I’m on vacation?
Fish do not have eyelids, and they cannot sleep properly with the light on at all times. We recommend that you switch off the light while you go on vacation.
What is the perfect healthy diet for my betta fish?
Experts recommend that you feed your betta fish two to four pellets, just once to twice a day. The pellets will expand when you put them in water, and one is filling for a fish. You can use fresh or freeze-dried food as a substitute for pellets 1 to 2 days per week.