{"product_id":"zoo-med-betta-automatic-feeder","title":"Zoo Med Betta Automatic Feeder","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYour betta eats on schedule while you are away for the weekend.\u003c\/strong\u003e The Zoo Med Bettamatic Automatic Daily Betta Feeder is a battery-powered automatic betta feeder that releases a portion of pellets every 12 hours — two feeds a day on a single AA battery. It mounts to the side of a standard tank, or to a round betta bowl using the rail kit supplied in the box. Zoo Med lists it as item BF-1.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBettas are almost always kept alone in a small volume of water. That is the setup where a patchy feeding routine shows up fastest: a missed day, a guilty double portion, then cloudy water. A fixed twice-daily release removes both halves of that cycle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReleases food every 12 hours\u003c\/strong\u003e — two feeds a day on a fixed cycle. There is nothing to program and nothing to remember on the way out the door.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRuns on one AA battery, supplied\u003c\/strong\u003e — no mains lead near the water, no plugpack and nothing extra on the powerboard. Keep a spare AA in the cabinet.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMounts two ways\u003c\/strong\u003e — directly to the side of a standard tank, or to a round bowl using the rail kit Zoo Med encloses. Round bowls are the case most feeders cannot handle at all.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt around micro pellets\u003c\/strong\u003e — Zoo Med designs it for their \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-betta-micro-floating-pellets-carded-4-3gm\"\u003eMicro Floating Betta Pellets\u003c\/a\u003e, and includes a food sample so it works the day it arrives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSample water conditioner in the box\u003c\/strong\u003e — enough for a first water change, not an ongoing supply.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOne configuration only\u003c\/strong\u003e — Zoo Med item BF-1. There is no larger or smaller version in the range to weigh up.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eModel\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBettamatic Automatic Daily Betta Feeder\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eZoo Med item number\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBF-1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFeeding interval\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvery 12 hours (two feeds per day)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePower\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOne AA battery, included\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMains power\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot required — no 240 V connection, no plugpack\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMounting\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTank side, or rail kit for round bowls and other tanks\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFood type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDesigned for Zoo Med Micro Floating Betta Pellets\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWater type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFreshwater\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFish per feeder\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOne betta\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's included\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBettamatic feeder unit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRail kit, for round betta bowls and tanks the unit cannot clip to directly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne AA battery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSample of Zoo Med Betta Food Pellets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSample of water conditioner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eNot included\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn ongoing food supply. The sample gets you started — you will want a card of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-betta-micro-floating-pellets-carded-4-3gm\"\u003eMicro Floating Betta Pellets\u003c\/a\u003e alongside it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA heater. Bettas are tropical, and a small unheated bowl in a Brisbane winter still drops below where they are comfortable. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-bettatherm-betta-heater\"\u003eZoo Med BettaTherm\u003c\/a\u003e is the matching option.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA filter, or filter cartridges.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpare batteries beyond the one supplied.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it fit my tank?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unit is designed to mount directly to the side of a standard tank. That covers most small rimmed and rimless betta tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere it cannot clip directly — a round bowl, a curved wall, an unusually thick rim — the enclosed rail kit is the answer. Zoo Med supplies it in the box specifically for round betta bowls.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med does not publish the feeder's dimensions or a maximum rim thickness, so we cannot give you a fit-check number. If your tank has a full glass lid with no gap at the back, measure the opening you would mount through before ordering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable for\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA single betta in a tank or bowl, fed twice daily\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeekends and short trips where nobody is coming in to feed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHouseholds where feeding times drift — shift work, school runs, travel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRound betta bowls, using the rail kit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeepers who want the food out of a child's reach and the portion out of their hands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot suitable for\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommunity tanks. It is built to feed one betta, not a stocked aquarium.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlake, freeze-dried bloodworm or wafer foods. Zoo Med designs it around their micro floating pellets.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeepers who want a different schedule. The 12-hour cycle is fixed, and Zoo Med publishes no way to change the interval.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong absences without any human check-in. A feeder handles food; it does not handle a heater failure, a dead filter or a fouled bowl.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFry or very young bettas needing several small feeds a day.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat Zoo Med does not publish\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med publishes the feeding interval, the battery requirement and the mounting options for the Bettamatic. It does not publish the unit's dimensions, the portion size per release, or a battery life figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe will not estimate those. A portion size in particular reads as a specification once it is printed, and getting it wrong in a small volume of water is exactly the problem this feeder is meant to solve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe practical approach is to run it for a few days while you are home, watch what actually lands in the water, and adjust the food you load accordingly before you rely on it unattended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCare and maintenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoad only dry pellets. Damp food cakes in any feeder and stops releasing, and the failure is silent until you come home to a hungry fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChange the battery on a schedule rather than on failure. A flat AA in a feeder is not obvious from across the room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTest the unit through a full cycle before any trip. Run it for two or three days with you present, so you see two to three releases land, then leave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep the outside of the unit clear of condensation and splash. Wipe it dry when you top the tank up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-betta-micro-floating-pellets-carded-4-3gm\"\u003eZoo Med Micro Floating Betta Pellets\u003c\/a\u003e — the food the feeder is designed to dispense, and the one to keep on hand once the sample runs out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-betta-banquet-block-6-blocks-per-card\"\u003eZoo Med Betta Banquet 7 Day Blocks\u003c\/a\u003e — the other way to cover an absence. Worth understanding the difference before you choose; see the questions below.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-bettatherm-betta-heater\"\u003eZoo Med BettaTherm Betta Heater\u003c\/a\u003e — feeding is only half of leaving a betta alone. Temperature is the other half.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-betta-cleaning-kit\"\u003eZoo Med Betta Cleaning Kit\u003c\/a\u003e — for the water change that should bracket any trip away.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zoo-med\"\u003eBrowse the full Zoo Med range\u003c\/a\u003e for the rest of the betta line.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWarranty and delivery\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med does not publish a separate warranty term for the Bettamatic, so we are not going to quote one. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply in full and are not limited by anything on this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf the unit arrives faulty or stops cycling in normal use, contact us and we will sort it out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a small, light item and ships as standard freight with no dangerous goods or cold chain restrictions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow often does the Zoo Med Bettamatic feed?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Zoo Med Bettamatic releases food every 12 hours, which works out to two feeds per day. The interval is fixed and Zoo Med publishes no way to adjust it. If your betta is currently fed once daily, moving to this feeder means halving the amount you load per release rather than keeping the same portion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes the Bettamatic need to be plugged in?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The Bettamatic runs on a single AA battery, which Zoo Med includes in the box. There is no mains lead, no plugpack and no 240 V connection, so it adds nothing to the powerboard and needs no RCD consideration. Keep a spare AA on hand and change it on a schedule rather than waiting for it to die.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I use the Bettamatic with a round betta bowl?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Zoo Med encloses a rail kit for exactly this, so the feeder can be fitted to round bowls and to tanks it cannot clip to directly. That covers the case most automatic feeders cannot handle, since almost all of them assume a flat rim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat food does the Bettamatic take?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med designs the Bettamatic around their Micro Floating Betta Pellets and includes a sample so it works on arrival. Flake, freeze-dried bloodworm and wafer foods are not what it is built to dispense — flake in particular bridges and jams in almost every pellet feeder. Stick to dry micro pellets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eShould I use an automatic feeder or a 7 day feeding block?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn automatic feeder delivers a real portion of real pellets on a schedule, so it suits repeated absences and ongoing use. A feeding block is a single-use vacation product with far lower nutrition per gram, intended to cover one trip of up to seven days. If you are away often, the feeder is the better long-term answer; for one holiday a year, a block is simpler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill the Bettamatic overfeed my betta?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt releases a set portion twice a day, so the amount depends entirely on how you load it. Zoo Med does not publish a portion size per release, which is why the sensible approach is to run the feeder for two or three days while you are home, watch what lands in the water, and adjust before relying on it unattended.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ZooMed","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55293329670435,"sku":"ZM361","price":69.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/zoo-med-betta-automatic-feed-43875827581219.webp?v=1790237147","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/zoo-med-betta-automatic-feeder","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}