I like to give my ProGold pellets a 15 minute soak before I feed them to my goldies. Right now I feed my goldies 4 times a day: soaked ProGold at 9:00AM, 1:00PM and 5:00PM and fresh fruit/veggies with frozen krill/bloodworm/etc. at 9:00PM.

I'll be getting a new job soon and I'll be away in the morning and early afternoon. I'm wondering if I can use an automatic feeder with soaked pellets while I'm away. I really think a routine is best for my goldies' digestive tract and metabolism. The only feeders I've found have mechanisms to prevent the food from even getting humid. I don't want to damage the unit either and risk shocking my water babies either. Any advice?

Sorry, but soaked pellets will not work in any kind of automatic feeder I've ever heard off. The soaked pellets would turn to mush in a very short time.

Rick Hess at goldfishconnection claims that ProGold does not need to be soaked before feeding... You might just try dry ProGold in an automatic feeder and see how your fish get along with it.

That's what I was afraid of. Hmmm...I still prefer to soak the pellets though, since the dry pellets release air when I put them in the soaking dish with water. Which is the lesser of two evils; skipping feedings or non-soaked pellets?

Hummm... That's really one of those six of one, half dozen of the other decisions.

I only feed my fish twice a day, and they still grow like weeds. I also feed un-soaked ProGold for their morning meal four or five times a week without any problems.

My fish ALWAYS get fresh vegetables for their dinner and I think that keeps them from having any digestive problems.

I think feeding less is still ok. Unsoaked pellets I'm not sure. Soaked pellets are more easily digestible and I think is good practice.

Ok, well thanks for your help guys. I think I'm going to just amend my feeding schedule and they'll have to wait 'til I get home. I'm glad I won't be there b/c I'd hate to see their dissapointed little faces.

I would say that twice a day feedings are what I would do. let's face it these little finned friends of ours have us jumping thru hoops sometimes. They will do just fine on only eating 2 times a day.

Besides I wouldn't trust an automatic feeder even if it would work. Too many stories of them dumping all the food and such. You run the risk of messing with the water with them.