Automatic feeder for Chili Rasboras

[KenK]

I have a group of Chili Rasboras in a five-gallon tank and I am currently feeding Easy Fry fish food. I am looking for an automatic feeder that I can use. I tried one rotating drum feeder but the food quickly clumped together. Is there a feeder that will work with Easy Fry food or is there another food I can try that will work better with automatic feeders?

If automatic feeding is not a practical option, how many days can Chili Rasboras go between feedings? They are in a heavily planted tank. 

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 11/11/2023 at 9:16 AM, KenK said:

I have a group of Chili Rasboras in a five-gallon tank and I am currently feeding Easy Fry fish food. I am looking for an automatic feeder that I can use. I tried one rotating drum feeder but the food quickly clumped together. Is there a feeder that will work with Easy Fry food or is there another food I can try that will work better with automatic feeders?

If automatic feeding is not a practical option, how many days can Chili Rasboras go between feedings? They are in a heavily planted tank. 

I can't help with the automatic feeder, but are moina an option? If it's planted heavily enough, I wonder if you could reach, maybe not a real equilibrium, but a density of moina fed in that it would take the rasboras a few days to hunt them all down. Actually, are moina small enough for chili rasboras?

[KenK]

Thanks, I will look into moina. I have never raised live food before.

[Odd Duck]

Vinegar eels live just fine in the tank and like to be up at the top.  If you can get a good dose of vinegar eels, they could potentially live off them for several days. Live Moina, Daphnia, or Ceriodaphnia (that last one is near impossible to find unless someone local is raising them or you can find someone on eBay or something - long shot) are excellent choices since they will also live and potentially breed in your tank if they have enough cover and food.

As far as how long you can leave chili rasboras, likely several days to a week if they are currently well fed and healthy, tank parameters are good, parameters are stable, and the tank is aged enough to have some good microlife.

[KenK]

Thank you so much for your advice. I have never heard of vinegar eels before.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 11/11/2023 at 2:53 PM, KenK said:

Thanks, I will look into moina. I have never raised live food before.

Here's a YouTube playlist on live food culturing from @Lowells Fish Lab:

 

It includes both moina and vinegar eels.

[KenK]

Thank you! I have ordered a culture of vinegar eels. I am very excited to add this live food to my chili rasbora's diet. Much better than an automatic feeder.

I will let you know how it goes.