# Other Aquarium Forums > Fish Care, Nutrition and Water Management >  Automatic fish feeder user please advise

## seudzar

May I know how you keep the fish food in the automatic fish feeder dry? I find that the food become moist after one day in the automatic fish feeder. Reason for setting up the automatic feeder is because I going overseas for 12 days and nobody help me feeding my fishes

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## bernie

Is it the placement of the autofeeder that let water splashed in caused the food to become moist? 
I used two type of autofeeders (ehiem digital & classica analog) with various kinds of feed and did not encounter the problem you mentioned.

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## seudzar

I am using those battery operated type when the barrel will rotate and drops the food out into the water. I noticed the fish food inside the automatic feeder turns into darker red and feels a bit soft when compared to the one from the bottle. I don't think any water from the tank got into the feeder also... 

Maybe it's the kind of food you using? What kind of fish food are you using?

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## bernie

I use NLS and hikari pellets.

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## Berny

it's the humidity around. 

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

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## seudzar

Yes... I know is the humidity around the area. Especially where the feeder located on top of the tank. So is there any other way to keep the food in the feeder fresh for 12 days or more. Judging from my view, the food will degrade within 2 days.

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## Berny

holiday feeder blocks?

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

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## stormhawk

Get those desiccant packs and leave them in the feeder together with the food. Tape it down if you don't want the sachet to block the opening as it rotates. Some automatic feeders come with a venting system to keep the food fresh and dry. You have to give or take that the food will probably not last past 5-6 days. I would advise you to get a relative to come by and feed your fish if necessary.

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## seudzar

> holiday feeder blocks?
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk


Many people advises me not to use those feeder blocks as they will degrade the water. Sad

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## seudzar

> Get those desiccant packs and leave them in the feeder together with the food. Tape it down if you don't want the sachet to block the opening as it rotates. Some automatic feeders come with a venting system to keep the food fresh and dry. You have to give or take that the food will probably not last past 5-6 days. I would advise you to get a relative to come by and feed your fish if necessary.


I do have the idea of asking my parents and siblings to help. But my parents have difficulties in walking as they are old already. My siblings are busy with works and my relatives all stay so far away from me.

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## felix_fx2

throw tubifex worm give them hunt?

what kind of fish? if have something to hunt they can live longer...

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## bernie

> Yes... I know is the humidity around the area. Especially where the feeder located on top of the tank. So is there any other way to keep the food in the feeder fresh for 12 days or more. Judging from my view, the food will degrade within 2 days.


Post a picture of your setup and I will post mine, we compare what's the difference.

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## seudzar

> throw tubifex worm give them hunt?
> 
> what kind of fish? if have something to hunt they can live longer...


Two tanks, one is corydoras tank and the other one is a mixed tank consist of chocolate gouramis, samurai gouramis, clown killies, galaxy, industomus (pipefish). 

I give up tubifex worms. Feeding tubifex worms seems to degrade the tank water fast, 12 days no joke. Even I have oversized filtration for both tank I won't want to take the risk.

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## seudzar

> Post a picture of your setup and I will post mine, we compare what's the difference.


Attachment 37841

Not sure if this helps.. This is how I mount the automatic feeder

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## bernie

Looks perfectly fine. Most of us mount it that way too. Are you feeding flakes or pellets? Flakes absorb moisture faster.

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## stormhawk

Then you have to get those desiccant packs. I hope you have a self-venting feeder, because dry stuff clumps up so quick here. Humidity levels are highest near to where your tank is, so you have little choice on that aspect.

https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/accessor...sh_feeder_TWIN

I'd go with this feeder but if you already have one just place the desiccant packs like I mentioned. Should help to prevent moisture buildup. The food will probably be insufficient for a long term trip but you have to take your chances. Usually fish can go without food for around 3-4 days maximum, 5 in some cases.

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## seudzar

> Looks perfectly fine. Most of us mount it that way too. Are you feeding flakes or pellets? Flakes absorb moisture faster.


Feeding those micro pellet size. But still absorb moisture..

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## seudzar

> Then you have to get those desiccant packs. I hope you have a self-venting feeder, because dry stuff clumps up so quick here. Humidity levels are highest near to where your tank is, so you have little choice on that aspect.
> 
> https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/accessor...sh_feeder_TWIN
> 
> I'd go with this feeder but if you already have one just place the desiccant packs like I mentioned. Should help to prevent moisture buildup. The food will probably be insufficient for a long term trip but you have to take your chances. Usually fish can go without food for around 3-4 days maximum, 5 in some cases.


Those ehiem cost a big bomb...

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## felix_fx2

put a pack of sillca gel inside to help absorb moisture.

tubifex worms will get zapped by pipefish fast.

if you account for starving you'll only need 8 to 10 days of food tops

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## seudzar

> put a pack of sillca gel inside to help absorb moisture.
> 
> tubifex worms will get zapped by pipefish fast.
> 
> if you account for starving you'll only need 8 to 10 days of food tops


Was planning to try on that. But then how long can the silica lasted is another question

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## bernie

Silica gel will not be useful if the food barrel is not airtight.

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## seudzar

> Silica gel will not be useful if the food barrel is not airtight.


You are spot on on this one. Both my auto feeder are not air tight and this is what I worry on right now. What a headache.

The best way at the moment is to look for people to come over my place to feed them.

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## milk_vanilla

Get your neighbor or best friend to come over, or your co-worker perhaps( i did ),

Return them with teh-o, coffee-o or starbucks, both party are happy  :Wink:

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## seudzar

> Get your neighbor or best friend to come over, or your co-worker perhaps( i did ),
> 
> Return them with teh-o, coffee-o or starbucks, both party are happy


That's the best way... Hahaha... Still asking around..

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## stormhawk

Yes the Eheim feeders cost a bomb, but it gives you peace of mind. As for silica gel/desiccant packs, yes, it will not be 100% useful if the container is not airtight, but it will help to a certain degree. You can probably DIY a ventilation system with a small PC fan and a cheap feeder however. This however will not prevent mold or fungus from growing on the food so you have to get help to feed the fish.

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## blue33

I go holidays pretty often. What i do is i microwave my fish food to get it really dry for 30 sec twice, stir around and microwave another 30 sec, can last for around 7 days, you can add desiccant packs if you want but i never add that. The better feeder comes with air pump tube to blow inside to get the air circulate around but they are costly. The fish don't eat for last few days is fine for them.

Or you can modify your feeder to add air tube inside to blow the food.  :Grin:

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## tousan

What fish are you keeping? As far as I know, fish won't die if they don't eat for 2 weeks. 
What is your tank size, if it is small, you should worry more about the water condition.

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## bravobb

Ehiem auto feeders has a automatically ventilation fan behind to keep the pellets dry.... All my tanks uses Ehiem auto feeder and so far i only encounter one moist hikari pellets.... That is because my hikari pellets have been kept far too long....(i think i feed too little..thus cannot finish within a year++) Other pellets that consumes within less than 6 months are fine.
And Ehiem auto feeders are not that expensive and costs only a faction of the cost if you know where to get. (Don't private message me the answer... if you read my threads before you should know what i am talking about...  :Laughing: )

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## DawnDeuce

Do the holiday feeder blocks really mess up your water that badly? Anyone ever had experience? They look like the most economical choice. + throwing tubifex around to hide and popup once in awhile for your fish.

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## bravobb

> Do the holiday feeder blocks really mess up your water that badly? Anyone ever had experience? They look like the most economical choice. + throwing tubifex around to hide and popup once in awhile for your fish.


I used holiday food/feeder block before and they did not last as indicated... It say 2 weeks but within days they are gone... i tested one block before i went holiday so thats my experience. I used those white colour block. Maybe they are more suitable for very small fishes like guppies.

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## DawnDeuce

> I used holiday food/feeder block before and they did not last as indicated... It say 2 weeks but within days they are gone... i tested one block before i went holiday so thats my experience. I used those white colour block. Maybe they are more suitable for very small fishes like guppies.


 :Idea: Cut up the blocks and have your auto dispenser give out 1 a day.

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## bravobb

> Cut up the blocks and have your auto dispenser give out 1 a day.


 :Razz:  I have auto feeders, no need to worry about food when i go holiday for those that takes pellets... It is those that do not thats why i use holiday food block.... look like it will not work so i switch to live feeders when i go holiday...

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