Reddit mentions: The best aquarium fish feeders

Depends on what shrimp you want to keep, some of them require specific setup, like soft water Caridina (crystal shrimp and bees) and hard water Caridina (Sulawesi shrimp). "Base" will be very different for each of them. The rest of questions can be answered only after you decide on what kind of shrimp to keep.

Here are some of their photos and requirements. More on ShrimpFever website, or of any other supplier.

Next, make sure that you water is suitable for chosen kind of shrimp. Test or do online search for name of your city and water analysis. Or maybe you are already prepared to make optimal for them artificial RO based water.

Minimal tank setup: tank (not kit), filter (sponge is good), heater only if your room is cold in the winter, thermometer, light for plants, plants, a lot of hiding places for molted shrimp and babies (could be clumps of plants, wood, shrimp shelters). Substrate is species specific.

Sponge filter: T-shaped is my preferred kind. It should be connected to air pump by airline tubing, with check valve and double air valve to regulate intensity of air flow. Do amazon search for each of them, you will see how they look like. If power filter (=HOB), intake protector will be necessary for small shrimp and babies, sponge or stainless steel cylinder, pantyhose should work too.

If you will need heater, preset to 78F heater could be used only for neocaridina (cherries) and ghosts, but not for cold water caridina. Adjustable heaters could not keep temperature low enough, then external temperature controller (like Inkbird) could be needed. 50W should be enough.

Plants are up to you, this is very personal. I prefer the easiest way, low light low tech plated tanks mostly moss based (Christmas moss, weeping moss, spiky moss, fontinalis, Marimo moss ball, round pellia (actually liverwort, subwassertag or susswassertang), mini pellia. Do image search for moss tank to see moss trees, walls, hills, logs. Rootless plants do not require substrate at all.

Light is kind of plants specific, there are low light setups, fast and easy, and high light setups with fertilization schedule and CO2 dosing. Planted Tank subreddit can say what light fixture would be good for your tank and plants, if your price range. I'm using Nicrew and for other tanks, desktop lamps with daylight CFL. You will need tank cover (lid) for this kind of lights and to reduce evaporation. $5 timer is good enough, but you can ask for a better solution at Planted Tank.

Reliable online stores for livestock: you should name the country. ShrimpFever should be of no help if you are not in Canada.

Food sources for shrimp: depends on the kind of shrimp.

• Dwarf shrimp (cherry, crystals) will graze on the biofilm on the driftwood, glass, sponge filter, plants, with additional feeding by blanched or weighed raw vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, baby carrots, broccoli and so on, preferably low in sugar and holding shape well), leaf litter (do search for this and shrimp), and commercial food (you can see examples on ShrimpFever and find the same in your country). Mineral supplement helps with molting and color. Using feeding dish (like small Petri dish) helps to control pollution, this is even better. More about feeding them is in Shrimp Tank search.
  
  
• Ghost shrimp: anything you give them, especially live black worms, or frozen worms, will be appreciated. Variety and what doesn't pollute tank much.
  
  
• Amano and fan shrimp, no experience.
  
  Maintenance tools: if you will have substrate, gravel cleaner, sized to your tank, bucket, glass scraper.
  
  Tests: API GH/KH test kit; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate for cycling tank; pH just in case, TDS meter is helpful.
  
  Good to have: a piece of clear acrylic tubing for picking up uneaten food, this shrimp net. Scissors are up to you, I'm pulling apart my mosses by hands.

You're probably not going to find real quantifiable data like that because there are so many factors including growth media and I'm not sure it scales up and down linearly.

I have:

• a 10 gallon tank; with two goldfish; a water jet; airstones; automated feeders; and an eheim filter- supporting two house plants
  Imgur (left side)
  
  
• another 4l0L (10 gallon) with two or three yoyo loaches (rescued); a panda catfish; and an algae eater- that supports a large windowsill planter of growth media holding mint/shisou/thai basil and has a eheim filter for extra biomass and 2 water jets; airstones in the tank and biomass area; and an automated feeder
  Imgur (middle)
  
  
• Finally an outside setup with 150 gallon tub with 5 goldfish (rescued) that runs through PVC pipe with about 10 net baskets with heads of lettuce and an automated koi-pond outdoor feeder.
  imgur
  
  These are all stable systems that have lasted about two years a piece
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Issues of any cruelty aside- this is fine as a starter/intro and you'll find that you'll likely want to upgrade as things work out- mostly because small systems are a lot harder to take care of.
  
  The thing with goldfish is that they put out a lot of ammonia (so in a small tank ammonia poisoning might be a thing) and the size of the container tends to cap their growth. But I wouldn't sweat the fish thing too much because a few of them might die due to the tank being new (although goldfish are extremely hearty) sketchy source: http://www.firsttankguide.net/newtanksyndrome.php
  
  It's hard to tell you straight away about how many fish etc because this aquarium system looks fresh and not yet cycled- ie. your aquarium probably doesn't have it's fill of microscopic plant life living in it and in the growth bed material you are using. Be aware you'll likely need to treat the new water you add into the tank. (chlorine remover etc) and that adding new water will have a relatively large effect on your tank due to it being compact. sketchy source: http://nippyfish.net/2009/05/27/cycling-a-small-aquarium/
  
  This means that you'll need to watch the amount of food you feed your fish carefully.
  
  100 grams of fish food will generally support about one square meter of plant life.
  sketchy source: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/aquaponics-knowing-the-fish-to-plant-ratio
  
  The great thing about what you are doing (cycling, establishing your grow bed as a bio filter) is that if you start a new tank, you'll be able to use this water and material to start out a larger tank faster (largely what you did by getting some of their gravel).
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Nice tips/ways to scale up or automate things to make your life easier:
  
  
• Petco often has dollar-per-gallon sales and there's usually tons of tanks on craigslist etc if/when you decide to scale up.
  
  
• Automatic feeders make the process less hands on:
  ie. http://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Fish-Feeder-AquaChef-Batteries/dp/B004249KFG
  
  
• A water pump to run the fish water through the growth media might do your tank very well and are quite cheap, this one is 8usd: http://www.amazon.com/Patuoxun-Submersible-Aquarium-Fountain-Hydroponic/dp/B00EU74MJY/
  
  
• Additional biomass:
  
  
• This filter (15usd) might add a little additional biomass, which makes your aquarium a little larger and helps breakdown the ammonia etc: http://www.amazon.com/TM1250-Aquarium-Internal-Power-Filter/dp/B00176GKM8/
  
  or
  
  
• (25usd) http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Rapids-Canister-hang---tank/dp/B000YJ0M1E/
  
  
• Again waterflow (helps with algae) then something like this is about 9 usd: http://www.amazon.com/Submersible-Circulation-Maker-Water-Aquarium/dp/B009YEEW2K/
  
  Note: most of these links are sketchy- just conveying ideas in an easy to read/digestible format.
  
  

Agreed that she's probably fine without food for a few days, but it's your fish so...

I have this Pixnor auto feeder from Amazon. It works great and has an app you can program set times or activate the feeder remotely. I hooked mine up to alexa.

Only issue I experienced is with smaller pellet foods and the larger sized holes on the device I had to block part of the opening even after adjusting it down as far as I could in order to prevent too many pellets from exiting.

Also, i put a desiccant pack in the pellet hopper to help absorb excess moisture.

In all it worked great, but some considerations/adjusments had to me made for feeder placement, too.

Link to Amazon product:
PIXNOR Automatic Fish Feeder Fish... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K3Q4R2Z?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This is the one we used. It seemed to work okay other than the fact that many of the pellets stuck to the walls due to the condensation build-up. However, this feeder does come with a little attachment for an air hose so you could apparently keep it dry that way but we didn't use it because our fish loved playing with his bubbles and who were we to deny him his pleasures.

I would say that it is great if you are only gone a day or two and want them to be fed everday, but anything past that it is going to get gunked up.

I personally own several aquariums and I love using these when I go on vacation. I have gone up to 2 weeks and came back with it having at least 20% full on a 75 gallon. Of course I wouldn't advise leaving research animals unattended that long!

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483475753&sr=8-1&keywords=automatic+fish+feeder+eheim

Things I like about it,

1. Battery lasts forever, I mean I have never had to replace it and I've used it for up to 1 year with a 3 times a day feeding cycle.
   
   
2. The reservoir can hold tons of food. I use flakes as well.
   
   
3. It is highly programmable to how you want.
   
   Potential Issues,
   
   
4. I have ran issues where the hatch slowly opens as time goes on and can eventually dump too much food into the tank.
   a) I taped the hatch to the desired width and haven't had issues since.
   
   
5. I do not know if it will fit onto the type of containment you are using.
   
   
6. It may not the cost effective depending on the amount of tanks.
   
   
7. You cannot really control how much food it dispenses each time.
   
   
   Good luck!

Generally I would suggest skipping, but if you're worried this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YK5W18/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

is a fantastic feeder for when you're away for long periods of time. I use it when I go TDY or whatever for work (I'm military). It has 14 individual compartments that you fill with how much food you want to feed that day and you can fill every other compartment so you feed every other day. I would suggest getting an air pump + tubing if you don't already have it so it works better (keeps it from getting clogged), but for just a few pieces of betta food it would probably be fine.

Before using it for real, I'd run it for a while to make sure it works and it's set the way you want. I thought I did and came home 2 weeks later to see that it didn't drop a single piece of food :( all my fish lived though luckily.

Great! Hope it does well. Many are raised this way and haven't seen other food etc. Here's a clip I use Two Little Fishies Veggiemag Seaveggie Clip Accessory https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027JF5I4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bT.-Bb0Z24Y9N

If yours does not work. I slice the zucchini length wise so they after are a quarter inch thick.

eheim daily feeder / air feeder as it's sometimes called.

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1481557630&sr=1-1&keywords=eheim+everyday+fish+feeder

Up to 4 feedings, can be used with flake (if very uniform and smaller than the opening- i crush mine up) or pellets. adjustable gate (most people open it up then tape over the opening partially for fine tuning) and you can set each feeding to rotate the drum once, or twice (after a 1 minute delay. helps slower feeders have an opportunity to get something after the more active fish feed on the first dump)

Very happy with mine so far.

best one if you haven’t tried yet is

EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F2117I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oXIACbM4145DV

easy to adjust and easy to program

I think so. Looking at this feeder you should be able to leave the aquarium in the classroom during the school year. I would obviously test the feeder before having to rely on it, but you should be ok. Also fish typically will be ok going a little while without food. One thought though, depending on how cold your classroom will get during the winter, you might want to consider buying a second heater (not a bigger heater, always safer to have multiple lower power heaters, just in case they fail ).

That would leave you with having to move the tank only for summer. This post outlines the process for moving an aquarium link.

On a separate note, I found my old regulator. I'll test it in the next week to make sure it all works, but it was fine when I packed it away. So if you want to do CO2, just PM me and I can send it off to you. I think I have a spare diffuser as well, so all you would have to buy is some hose and a tank.

I've been looking in to getting one now that I've got 5 tanks up and running & while I haven't used it first-hand the Eheim is highly recommended. The best tip I've heard is that in any feeder, you're better off using pellet or micro-pellets instead of flake since it's less likely to clog.

I definitely recommend the programmable kind- they're a little pricey but they work great. I break the algae wafers into little chunks that are small enough to be deposited by the feeder. http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373668034&sr=8-1&keywords=fish+feeder This is the one I use, it has an adjustable door so you can choose how much food comes out when you use is.

I saw someone use a vegetable clip once, something like this. Maybe if you clip the wafer/cucumber to the wall they already love eating on, they'll just stumble across it and develop a taste for it. I have no idea if it will work though. Plus, that clip is pretty expensive for what it is.

This seems like a pretty good option: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F2117I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A14IZ8JAGKKH3G

Definitely siphon all the old food out! Keep an eye on your water parameters if you have an api master test kit.

Whoever fed the fish on Saturday needs to know how much little to feed them! If they can't and you can't find someone else then you can either fast the fish through the weekend (while giving them a bit more on Friday) or get an automatic fish feeder. I've used that exact one for years when taking month a half long trips for school and I couldn't trust my fiance to feed them well enough. Feeding amount is adjustable and very accurate as long as you're using one type of small sized fish food (ex. shrimp pellets would be too big but granules, flakes, and crisps will work fine). Set it to one feeding per day and then you won't have to worry about anyone overfeeding them! Provided they don't give them any extra while you're not there. ;)

Good luck!

I had this problem but I’ve started spot doing seachem excel and it’s done wonders. Kills algae and the plants are going nuts.

I turn off the filter and my surface skimmed, then spot treat with seachem excel using a long syringe like the one I linked below. Wait 10 minutes and then turn on the filter and skimmer. You don’t want to get excel on your hands. Spot treating every day is the only thing that’s gotten it under control. Just simply dosing the water column didn’t work. I started with the recommended dose and then increased bit more each each day. No die off yet, except algae.



PeSandy Coral Feeder SPS HPS Fe Syringe Tube for Reef/Anemones/Eels/Lionfish and Other Organisms, Liquid Fertilizer Feeder Accurate Dispensing Spot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RXG63TT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DFBEDbBTRX2C5

For 3/4 days they should be fine but for your upcoming 2 week vacation this is the feeder I have and it works well. I bought one when I went on an 8 month deployment. I love my fiance but he's kinda spacey. I adjusted it to not overfeed them and then had him email me pics and water specs monthly to make sure there weren't any big problems. I've been using it full time for about a year now with no problems.

I'd go pay $20 for a battery operated auto feeder. Best $20 I ever spent for my tank and this way you dont have to worry about a block feeder nuking your tank. I have never had luck with block feeders.

VIVOSUN Programmable Automatic Fish Feeder with Volume Timer Control https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MH1W248/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8fGvDbE1SA3YV

Works like a charm. Pull up a YouTube video for how to program it. The included instructions are a mystery but the video is perfect.

https://youtu.be/aJFF2Folgp4

Guys, i am very much tempted to set up an aquarium in my home. But, I will be gone overseas for a vacation for 4-6 weeks every year. I was looking at vacation fish feeder https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001F2117I#Ask and looks very promising. The reviews say that people have left their aquarium for long time. I checked with my friends and they suggested to not set up an aquarium. The problem is that most of my friends will be gone during that period.

I want to ask if any of you guys have tried leaving your aquarium for 4-6 weeks with vacation feeder?

I have an eheim daily feeder and I really like it, you set up multiple feelings per day and it works with both flake and pellet food. Just be careful If you use pellet, it's really easy to over feed!

OP Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YK5W18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j39.zbWWVBT3K

Check that out. This is the kinda dispenser you want, slots for portion of food you want to feed. Youll wanna test it out and try letting it do the feeding for you a few days ahead of your vacation so that way you get to know how it works. Good luck!

I've been using an eheim auto-feeder for over a year and it's pretty good.


https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder Fish Mate

This one was highly recommended, had good reviews, and mine works just fine.

Does anyone have recommendations on IntelliFeed Fish Feeder? Seems like a good one.

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

I have two of those. Everybody seems to love them. One was knocked into the tank by one of my Oscars. It still works even though it sat at the bottom of the tank for awhile.

this one works great with flakes

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

I use battery auto feeders on all my tanks for their daily staple food. These ones are great. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F2117I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We use automatic fish feeders for our fish, like this.

If you are having someone else feed your fish, it might be helpful to use small cups (like paper bathroom cups) to divide up the amount of food that is supposed to be fed each day. You could also use a marker to mark the date you would like each cup to be administered.

So sorry for the loss of your fish.

I use the Eheim everyday fish feeder for when I go on vacation, and it's great! You can do multiple feedings per day, or just one at a specific time. It's also got an adjustable opening so you can leave it very small to not feed as much.

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

Sure! I use this one here, it seems to work pretty well! Sometimes the slots are too large, I think, but def. not too small.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FZP1HKG/ref=psdc_2975462011_t3_B017IQVGVK

Here is one well-rated and cheap one on Amazon. :) <><

I'd recommend the Eheim Everyday Feeder. I've used it for several vacations and it's been very reliable. It works fine with the smaller betta pellets.

They never look mangled, they were swimming around like normal not hiding or anything.
They looked like bones which ive never seen before.
I am feeding them https://www.cobaltaquatics.com/collections/flake-fish-food/products/cichlid-flake-food and yes they were eating before death.

They are fed 3 times daily by 2 EHEIM Automatic food dispensers and they do not leave much if anything behind. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001F2117I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This may seem fishy, but I think it could form the basis of your solution:

http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Mate-F14-Aquarium-Feeder/dp/B000YK5W18/ref=zg_bs_2975462011_5/189-2495048-0015338

I like https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000YK5W18/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1550112569&sr=8-4&keywords=aquarium+auto+feeder&dpPl=1&dpID=51XDi23ayGL&ref=plSrch
Unlike ones with the doors this type is will not be dumping all of the food in during a malfunction.

https://www.amazon.com/Feeder-Plate-Shrimp-Length-Adjustable/dp/B00UF68UE2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=shrimp+feeder+tube&qid=1563116623&s=gateway&sr=8-4

I don't own one, so I'm not sure if that is the best option on amazon but that at least gives you an idea of what I'm talking about.

I like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BT6LWKQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01

Zoo Med BettaMatic Automatic Daily Betta Feeder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049U45K8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_L.t.wb8J9SGP9
Would something like that work?

If you're located in the CA Bay Area, I would fish sit for ya.

Your an get an [Automatic Fish Feeder] (https://www.amazon.com/Fish-Mate-F14-Aquarium-Feeder/dp/B000YK5W18/ref=zg_bs_2975462011_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RQ42RP6VMG2FKC37AEGR) Just get the one with individual cups like this, so you can control the exact amount of food given. In my experience tank sitter ALWAYS overfeed.

I recommend getting one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

Something like this
https://www.amazon.com/API-VACATION-PYRAMID-1-2-Ounce-Automatic/dp/B00025Z66G

This one from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NV6GLXH/

The built in battery charges with USB and goes for several months between charges. Been using it for about a month and I love it. The only tricky thing with these style of feeders is adjusting the quantity. I found by making very small adjustments and using a piece of tape to hold the adjustment flap in place I can get it where I want it.

I've used the Rena automatic feeder for about 4 years now. The main reason I bought this one is because it has a light sensor you can turn on so that it doesn't feed at night and it has a small heater built into the drum so that the food stays fresh.

http://www.amazon.com/Rena-707-LG100-Automatic-Feeder/dp/B000ICNMA0

I have one of these: Auto fish feeder and it has served me well with my 65 gallon. You can program when it feeds, how many times it spins, and adjust how much food falls out. It wasn't too expensive and I haven't even replaced the batteries yet (in 1.5 years). ><>

best rated one i could find and the brand is well known

I never had much luck with these. I invested in a fish feeder like this that works great...
https://www.amazon.com/Upettools-Automatic-Feeder-Aquarium-Dispensers/dp/B07Q5PY3SF/ref=mp_s_a_1_10_sspa?keywords=fish+feeder&qid=1566073590&s=gateway&sr=8-10-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExQ1VJQkFaV0RNMDQ2JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTQ2NjczT1paRkE0WFYxRlZWJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NDA3NDEzNEdWMlg0TTNUU0lHJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I got an automatic feeder for the community tank. Sooooo worth it. EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F2117I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PStDDb2KTB4EG

One of the tried and true auto-feeders would be the eheim auto feeder. There are a lot of different ones with mixed reviews and some are too expensive. Even the Neptune apex feeder unit is not as good as the eheim and too costly, so my vote is the eheim unit.

I use the Fish Mate F14. It can feed up to 4 times a day for a total of 14 servings and you can specify down to the flake how much and what your fish get. I just set mine on top of the hood with the opening over a hole in the aquarium lid.

I use this one any time I'm out of town for a few days. I had to test it a bit to get the proper amount put into the tank, but I haven't had any problems with it once I had it calibrated correctly.

How long will you be gone for?

If you are going to be gone a week or less it may be that you do not need a fish feeder. In the wild fish do not feed like they do everyday in our homes.

I have used both the Fish Mate F14 (as LieutenantJB mentioned) and the Eheim Everyday Fish Feeder.

The Fish Mate if you have larger food items like sinking algae wafer it will accommodate some of those. You are limited to 14 feedings total, meaning a max of 14 days. Flakes and small pellets can be rather messy as the divider bracket just sits on the faceplate and so small foods can escape or flakes can slide under the rotating edges. You do have more control over portion size though.

The Eheim is a fairly standard drop feeder based on how many pellets/flakes will fit through the opening which you adjust for size. This can mean that your portions are a bit irregular. It does allow up to 4 times a day drops and is fairly easy to set up as far as setting times for feeding. It will run until the food bin is empty and the food bin will hold a substantial amount. If you are going to be gone longer than 14 days or are looking for something to use every day and just worry about refilling on maintenance days this is a good option. It is not a good option for sinking algae wafers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UF68UE2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser

Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YK5W18/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the mobile version of your link

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

Lee`s Aquarium 4 Way Cone Worm Feeder 3 Pc https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DZE9T8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rbyBxbJH94TAX

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Fish-Mate-F14-Aquarium-Feeder/dp/B000YK5W18

Aside from an automatic feeder that's already been mentioned, you can buy feeding cubes that will last for a few days or more. Like these. There are many different kinds and you can get them at your LFS or PetSmart, etc.

This is the clip I use Two Little Fishies Veggiemag Seaveggie Clip Accessory https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027JF5I4/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_nSXLwb3BZ5J5T

If you insist on feeding them i would just load up one of these. Run it for a few days to confirm that it is feeding correctly and you should be good to go. Those feeding cubes are terrible.

He should be fine for 3 days, and I would advise staying away from one of those dissolving vacation feeders, I had one crash my tank.... :( But I do recommend this automatic feeder, I have used it for a 3 week time frame with no problems, I used it on my tank with my betta and neon's in it, and my betta eats the neons food as well as his so its all good.

And if you have amazon prime there is 2 day shipping on it....might be here in time.

I'm pretty sure this is what you're thinking of, where the block slowly dissolves and releases food as the block shrinks. This is what I'm talking about, a cup of fish food in a gel.

Those 7 day feeder blocks aren't the best. They will make your water dirty and mess up the water quality. This can make your betta sick. If you're going away for that long, I recommend and automatic fish feeder and an outlet timer (you can get that at walmart or home depot) for your lights. Fish need a proper day/night cycle and a timer will help a lot. Keeping the lights on the whole time will stress him out. Like everyone else is suggesting, it would be better if someone can help you look after him while you're away.
Here's a link to the items I suggested:
Feeder:
http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418762954&sr=8-1&keywords=automatic+fish+feeder

Timer:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-24-Hour-Plug-In-Basic-Timer-15119/100685881

That is a ring worm feeder without the cone or suction cup. Got it at my LFS. Usually used with the cone to drop live or frozen foods into and let fish eat at their leisure while you control how much. I use it in this case to have a designated feeding zone for the shrimp.

Here's one on Amazon

I personally use this one. Even though I am feeding the exact same amount of food, water goes nuts. It does not have a signal for the fish to know when to eat so I assume it does not always get eaten.

Reason I use this one is because you can choose exact portions and up to 14 days of feeding.

If you're willing to spend a bit of money, this feeder on Amazon has always worked well for me! I hate trying to transport my tank home when I leave my dorm, so this should work for you too if you're willing to give it a shot!
Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YK5W18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_SwmGAb9HFX013

dish

tube, but the included dish was cracked upon arrival. I didn’t worry about it since I was just after the smaller-diameter tube

I've used this one before. It just rotates the drum and dumps food out of a hole. You can set the time of day and how often it rotates and you can adjust the opening to allow more or less food to fall out with each feeding. You can also set it to rotate twice each time if you need a larger feeding. The drum holds a good amount of food but flakes are a bit of a pain because if it gets splashed or just too moist, they stick and don't actually fall out when they're supposed to.

I've heard good things about [this auto-feeder] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F2117I?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_4&smid=A1BNS86D4V4GO1).

I've read enough horror stories about time release food spiking ammonia levels to be uncomfortable with it. I'd rather chance my buddy missing a meal than getting poisoned.