If you have a fishpond, a fish feeder can be a necessary addition to keep your fish healthy and happy, especially when you go on vacation or simply busy with other things. If you’re looking for the best pond fish feeder, then one from this list may be a perfect choice.
We’ve examined 22 different models available on the market and have picked six best of them for this article. Our favorite one is the Moultrie 6.5 Gallon Directional Hanging Feeder. It offers anti-clog technology and can be hanged over a pond or even used for game feeding as well. If you want to check something else, we have five other fantastic options for you here.
For this review, we have spent more than 55 hours doing our research. We’ve visited manufacturers’ websites, consulted experts, and asked fish pond owners to help us find the best product. When choosing pond feeders, it’s important to consider their capabilities and features. Capacity will tell you how often you need to refill the feed. Remember to check if you’ll need to purchase batteries for it. Consider the timer for when your fish will be fed and the dimensions and weight for storage and portability. We broke down our findings in a table with quick-to-find information as well as more detailed reviews for those who are looking for the particulars, followed by a buying guide for anyone ready to purchase their own best pond fish feeder.
More features: 30-degree path, anti-clog technology
The Moultrie 6.5 Gallon Directional Hanging Feeder is our Editor’s Choice. The hang ability of this pond fish feeder means that it can conveniently be placed anywhere you need it and allows you to move it to different areas of your pond or even to different ponds when desired. It’s also built using anti-clog technology, which makes it a great choice for any feed type, or if you need to change your feed from one type to another due to a change of fish or illness or if you would like to use this feeder on game trails or feed plots for game purposes.
The programmable timer lets you program up to 6 daily feed times, and the duration of the feed can be adjusted from anywhere between 1 and 20 seconds, allowing even more customization of your feeding. It can hold up to 6.5 gallons of feed, and the spinner plate has an agitator allowing the feeder to cast it in one direction at a 30-degree path with a distance of about 20 feet.
The feeder is powered by a single 6-volt battery, which makes it a great choice for those with ponds not near an electrical source, though you will need to purchase batteries in order to use it. But since it’s a hanging feeder, you will need to hang it yourself, and for ponds, that may take a bit of trial and error to find what works best with your situation.
More features: LCD digital display, suitable for all food sticks and pellets, dishwasher-safe components, feed on demand, 3-year manufacturer warranty
If you have a smaller pond, the FishMate P7000 Pond Fish Feeder is an ideal option for that because it holds up to 6.5 pounds or 30 cups of feed, including any types of pellets or food sticks.
The LCD digital display makes this feeder easy to read when setting the timer, and this feeder can feed up to three times a day, up to 15-gram portions. It also has a manual feeder option for additional feedings when needed.
This feeder runs on 4 C batteries, so you’ll need to periodically purchase new batteries to make sure your feeder keeps running. It also doesn’t have a spreader option, which means the feed is dropped below the feeder, so if you’re using it on the edge of a pond, make sure to install it properly to avoid the danger of predation. This feeder is made of plastic, too, which means it will be durable for outside use, and since it has such a compact size, it would be easy to move to different locations in your pond. It’s dishwasher-safe as well for easier cleaning. Many users note that it works great, especially if you build a cover for it.
More features: 30-degree path, Quick-Lock system, breaks up clumps
If you’re looking for a feeder that can hold a huge amount of food, then the Moultrie 30-Gallon Quick Lock Directional Tripod could be a great choice for you. It can hold up to 30 gallons of food, or close to 240 pounds of feed.
The digital timer allows you to set up to 6 feedings per day, with a duration from 1 to 20 seconds. It will cast your feed in a 30-degree path making it a great choice for pond edge feeding so it won’t waste feed. It also has a feed level estimator to help you know how much feed is remaining in the hopper.
It’s made for easy set-up: no tools required. The agitator helps to break up feed clumps. It runs on a 6-volt battery, which is not included, so you will have to buy one separately and periodically charge it to make sure it keeps working. Some users, though, complained that the customer service was poor.
Overall, it is a very user-friendly device that can be installed almost anywhere. It will ensure that your pond fish is well-fed.
More features: LCD display, detachable parts, free-standing base
For a smaller feeder, the 18 cups, or 1.1-gallon capacity of this pond fish feeder may be a great choice for you. The programmable timer lets you set it up to 99 days with 4 feedings a day. It runs on 4 C batteries, which means you’ll need to purchase replacements every now and then to make sure it keeps running.
The feeder parts are detachable to make it easy to clean, and the plastic construction is durable. It also has a free-standing design as well as it can be mounted somewhere if you’d like to limit the predation.
But many users complained that the programming is very difficult to set even with the instructions and that when used outside, the chute can be easily clogged whenever it rains. Many people admitted that it worked great during dry weather, so you might want to invent some kind of cover for it. As soon as you figure out how the timer works, you will enjoy its performance.
More features: 3-year warranty, can be pole-mounted
This pond fish feeder will run for a full year on just a single AA battery, so while you will need to purchase replacement batteries, they will be cheaper and last longer than with some other models.
This is a good choice for those users who have small ponds as it only holds 1.5 cups of feed, and it only feeds once every 24 hours, gradually dispensing the programmed amount of food over a period of a few hours. It also has an adjustable feed quantity making it a great choice for someone who’s looking to customize their portions. It can be pole mounted to limit the predation, and since it weighs under 2 pounds, it can be easy to mount and move when needed.
Many users stated that they had issues with the consistency of feeding, that it would either feed too little or too much with no rhyme or reasons and sometimes wouldn’t feed at all. And others stated that the timer was be difficult to set.
More features: Centrifugal Air Blower system, 20′ x 45′ coverage area, adjustable feet
The Texas Hunter Fish Feeder is our Premium Pick because it’s made of galvanized steel, and it holds a fantastic 70 pounds of food, making it a great choice for those who have medium to large-sized ponds and a lot of fish to feed.
It also comes with a rechargeable battery, which means you don’t have to worry about purchasing replacement batteries. Just recharge the 12-volt included battery when needed to keep your pond fish feeder working. The legs are adjustable, and the feet come with stabilizing stakes to help keep the feeder balanced and safe on uneven surfaces.
This feeder uses a centrifugal air blower system for a 20 foot by 45-foot feed coverage, while also eliminating food drop within 3-5 feet of the feeder. The lid is lockable, and the feeder has two sight gauges so you can measure how much feed is remaining in the feeder without opening the lid every time. It can feed between 1 and 9 times a day, and it also comes with a digital timer and pre-wired for solar battery charging, though the solar charger is sold separately.
It’s a large feeder, though, so it wouldn’t be a great choice for those trying to feed a smaller pond or for anyone who would like the ability to move their feeder as needed.
Automatic fish feeders can be an important choice for fish fancier. When raising fish in ponds, regular and measured feeding can keep your fish healthy and happy, even if you’re not home to feed them yourself. It’s important to know the different features and capabilities of the varying models, though, to make sure you purchase a pond fish feeder that works for you and your needs. Not all of them come with large capacities or easy to program options, so users should familiarize themselves with the different options of the automatic pond fish feeder.
In addition to pond filters and pond aerators, a fish feeder can make fish in your pond much happier. Automatic pond fish feeders can show different results when feeding your pond, while some of them can even be used to feed game animals such as deer. You’ll need to know how much food your fish need daily, and how often, and the type of climate you’ll expose the fish feeder to in order to know which feeder may be the best choice for your needs. If you have a smaller pond, then you don’t need a feeder with a massive capacity, but if you’re looking to feed a lot of fish in a pond, or even a lake, then the capacity and the spread options will make a huge difference in your choice for the best pond fish feeder.
Feeder capacity is the most important consideration when you are looking to purchase a pond fish feeder.
If you have a large pond, you’ll need a fish feeder with a large capacity. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself having to refill the hopper frequently, which defeats the purpose of an automatic feeder. And if you have a small pond, devices with large capacity can overfeed your fish, leading them to ill health.
Not all pond feeders are created equal, and your choice can depend greatly on what kind of feed you’re using. While most feeders can work with pellets, the size and shape of them can make a difference in how well your feeder will work. And if you’re using flake food or feeder sticks, you’ll need to find a feeder that can work with those as well. Finally, if you plan on also using your feeder to feed game animals such as deer, you’ll need a feeder that can handle different feed types, such as corn. For a great, all-around feeder that can handle a variety of types of food, we recommend our Editor’s Choice, the Moultrie 6.5 Gallon Directional Hanging Feeder.
Power supply matters when looking at an automatic fish feeder. If the power supply doesn’t last long enough, your fish feeder could stop working when you need it most, putting the lives of your fish in jeopardy. Most fish feeders work with batteries, which means you’ll have to set aside money for replacements. Some work with rechargeable batteries, or even come pre-wired for solar power to charge the battery, such as our Premium Pick, the Texas Hunter Fish Feeder.
The timer is the second most important aspect of any feeder for pond fish. Without the timer, it’s not an automatic fish feeder, which is the point of the hands-off feeding for your pond. There are a variety of different options when it comes to timers. Some feeders will feed a fixed amount of food a certain number of times per day, and some will let you adjust these settings. If you’re looking for a feeder that can offer a variety of customization options for the timer of your feeder, our Editor’s Choice, the Moultrie 6.5 Gallon Directional Hanging Feeder, is a great pick. But if you’d rather have a feeder that gradually feeds a set amount each day for your small pond, then try the Fish Mate P21 Pond Fish Feeder.
Automatic pond fish feeders run the gamut of sizes, from compact enough for smaller ponds to large enough to feed the entire lake. The size of the feeder can matter if you’re someone who plans on frequently moving your device, say if you only want to set it up when you’re on vacation.
Obviously, a giant feeder is going to be harder to carry and install, while compact models will allow you to find a perfect place for them effortlessly.
Although you might want to get a smaller model, not all of them will be able to hold enough feed for your fish.
Weight is also important, especially if you’re planning on regularly moving your pond feeder, whether to feed different areas of your pond, different ponds, or if you plan to take the feeder in and out of storage. If you are looking for a small and light device, the FishMate P7000 Pond Fish Feeder might be ideal for your needs.
Some feeders will disperse the food by using gravity and dropping it at the base of the feeder, and others use dispersion methods to fling the food far away from the feeder. They both have pros and cons associated with them.
For gravity feeders that drop the food below the base, this can train fish to wait at the edge of the pond for food and possibly lead to predation. But flinging food in a wider area only works for ponds or lakes that are large enough for that purpose.
Prices vary widely with automatic fish feeders, and that’s mostly because they can be so different. A higher-priced model often means that it can hold more feed and disperse it more widely, but that doesn’t mean a lower-priced model wouldn’t be the perfect fit for your needs.
If you have a large pond and wish to get a premium model, check the Texas Hunter Fish Feeder. Although it costs around $850, its centrifugal air blower will provide a wide coverage area, while adjustable feet will offer excellent support.
As for the average-priced units, we have the FishMate P7000 Pond Fish Feeder for small ponds. At $100, you can get a programmable unit with dishwasher-safe parts.
Lastly, the cheapest model here is the Fish Mate P21 Pond Fish Feeder, which costs $40 and can be pole-mounted.
Automatic pond fish feeders are a great way to take your fish fancy hobby to the next level and help you keep your fish healthy, happy, and safe, and if you’re searching for an automatic pond fish feeder, chances are there’s a model that will fit your needs.
Our Editor’s Choice is the Moultrie 6.5 Gallon Directional Hanging Feeder. It’s a hanging feeder, which allows directional dispersal and can be used for feeding pond fish and also game animals.
For smaller ponds, you can go for the FishMate P7000 Pond Fish Feeder. This is a very convenient programmable device with dishwasher-safe parts.
If you’re looking for a feeder that can hold a huge amount of food, then the Moultrie 30-Gallon Quick Lock Directional Tripod could be a great choice for you.
We hope that this article helped you learn more information, and now, all you have to do is to find the best pond fish feeder for your needs!
