They all love the feeder

[Paul B]

I know I posted this before but I just love this thing.
I have been at this for a long time but I get all excited when I see the animals enjoying themselves, especially if it is with something that I created.
Just about all of my fish eat from this live baby brine feeder even though they have other things they could be eating. The thing was created for a skinny young female mandarin but it has been so successful that I use it every day. Many of the fish hang around it even when there is nothing in it. I have successfully used variations of this method to feed moorish Idols and seahorses. Fish easily learn where the food is and most smaller fish thrive on living new born brine shrimp. There is even a couple of large gobies in there that swim up for huge mouthfulls.
For people that have certain fish like mandarins, small pipefish or scooter bleenies and are worried they don't get enough to eat should try this. It is just a net stretched over a container with a tube going to the surface so live baby shrimp can be added. It really works great as this video shows.

 

[Squall]

Hi- I'm curious about your feeder. How do you build it? I watched the video but couldn't really see the construction. Would like to try and build it myself.

 

[Playa-1]

I like that feeder too, I might give it a try the next time I get a finicky eater in the tank.

 

[balto777]

Really, really cool. Yes, please add some more details on how to make the feeder. Those fish feeding in the video is just awesome!!!

 

[NatureNerd]

Paul, what species of pipefish is that?

 

[yamaha16bw]

Id like more details as well. Thats awesome!

 

[Paul B]

That is a blue stripe pipefish, He was part of a breeding pair but the female died. They have a short lifespan of only 3 or 4 years.

I replaced the funnel on top with this one

The base is a plastic container that electrical tape came in. I just cut a big hole in the lid.
The mesh is a net I cut up. The holes should be as large as a baby brine shrimp but not so large that they can easily swim through. You can make the thing in 5 minutes out of any shallow container and use a rubber band if you can't find something with a lid or if you can't cut the hole.

 

[DeathMagnetic]

Paul,

thanks for the pics.. i want to fatten my copperband up !!!

appreciatively..
joe

 

[Paul B]

Ok but you should fatten him up on worms, baby brine are only a snack for a copperband

 

[doctormario777]

What a great idea!

 

[nrbelk]

is that just rigid airline tubing that you bent?

 

[Paul B]

Yes, it is a rigid tube. Any tube will work, you can even go to Home Depot and get one of those 3/8" tubes for connecting a bathroom sink, they are about fifty cents.

 

[nrbelk]

Would you consider it OK and plausible to feed fish like a pipefish or a mandarin principally using this method? With my tank size, it would be easier for me to hatch brineshrimp than raise enough copepods.

 

[Paul B]

I am sure this will work as long as you fill the thing every day. My mandarins and pipefish spend most of their time there even though there are plenty of pods in the tank. This is just easier for them.

 

[tkeracer619]

Awesome!

 

[kissman]

Nice i bet you could sell those!

 

[cr85r]

I know I want one my mandarins looking a little skinny !

 

[Reefahholic]

Very cool Paul!!

 

[bikeboss11]

Great idea and design.... Will definitely be trying this out

 

[Paul B]

Nice i bet you could sell those!

I could sell a lot of things but I am retired and just want to party.
I could sell these feeders

I could sell these chillers

I could sell these brine shrimp hatcheries,

I could sell one of these bridges.

And I could sell my body.............OK.....Maybe not