An automatic animal feed dispenser system comprising one or more batteries of hoppers for temporarily storing feed, each hopper having an outlet adjacent the base thereof through which the feed can be dispensed is provided. Each battery of hoppers is provided with a slide member having a plurality of holes therethrough, the slide member engaging the outlets of all of the hoppers in the battery. The slide member is articulated back and forth such that each of the bores through the slide member periodically receives a desired quantity of feed from a hopper and thereafter drops the feed for animal consumption. The quantity of feed received by each of the bores through slide member can be independently varied by means of inserts which are adapted to be positioned within or removed from a bore so as to decrease or increase the effective volume thereof. The slide members associated with plural batteries of hoppers can be articulated in tandem. This may be accomplished by providing a separate means for articulating each slide member, the several means for articulating the slide members being responsive to a single control mechanism.

An underwater fish food feeder, which includes a barrel, a screw cap and a nozzle holder fastened to two distal ends of the barrel, the screw cap having a filling hole through which fish food is filled into the barrel and a connector connected to a high pressure air source, the nozzle holder holding a high pressure air control valve on the inside and a nozzle on the outside, a guide tube connected between the connector at the screw cap and an air inlet at thc high pressure air control valve, a nozzle tube connected to an air outlet at the control valve and suspended in the barrel, and a control button mounted in the high pressure air control valve and operated to open the air passage between the air inlet and the air outlet in the high pressure air control valve for enabling high pressure air to pass through the air nozzle tube into the barrel, to further force fish food out of the nozzle holder and the nozzle for feeding water animals.

A fish feeding apparatus for disbursing fish food within one or more fish tanks. The apparatus includes a food canister having an opening which is sealed by a removable cap, an array of apertures from which fish food is disbursed, a suction device which enables the food canister to be affixed to an inside surface of a fish tank, and an inlet port whereby a fluid flow is permitted to enter. The apparatus further includes a pump having an outlet port whereby fluid flow is permitted to exit and a section of tubing connected at one end to the outlet port of the pump and at the opposite end connected to the inlet port of the food canister. The cap is removable to exposed the opening in the food canister where large aggregates of fish food, such as flakes or frozen cubes, are inserted. With the cap replaced the food canister is mounted in the fish tank with the array of apertures submerged below the water level. The pump is activated by a power source producing a fluid flow into and through the tubing and further into and through the food canister. This fluid flow creates a turbulent action within the food canister which reduces the large aggregates of fish food to smaller gradations of fish food particles which are disbursed through the array of apertures. This array of apertures permits only the smaller gradations of fish food particles to pass and retains the large aggregates of fish food.

Novel structures and methods are disclosed for creating and maintaining an underwater air chamber beneath a volume of water within a conventional aquarium for access by amphibious life within the aquarium to permit the amphibious life to selectively leave a water environment for a dry environment. In one embodiment, the underwater air chamber includes a hood secured to a base which defines a hollow chamber. After the apparatus is submerged in an aquarium, pressurized gas is introduced into the hollow chamber to create a dry environment within the hollow chamber. A gas effluent control is associated with the hood to selectively release the gas under pressure from within the chamber. An entryway into the chamber is also formed in the hood to permit amphibious life to selectively enter and exit the chamber, as well as to permit larger air bubbles to escape from within the air chamber. Another embodiment discloses an underwater air chamber formed integrally with an aquarium. Structures and methods are also disclosed for delivering a food object to a submerged air chamber from above the water surface of an aquarium.

A dispenser for smoothly and reliably dispensing flowable or particulate matter such as fish food is provided, in which dynamic gravity of the matter itself is utilized to regulate dispensing of the same in an uncomplicated manner. The dispenser has a container adapted to be mounted upon a rotatable shaft and having a hollow interior with two openings therethrough for communicating with external surroundings. A partition is mounted within the container interior for dividing a portion of the container interior into a plurality of compartments. The partition extends between the openings to limit quantity of matter falling into one of the compartments as the container rotates. A duct is mounted to rotate with the container and communicates with one of these openings. As the container rotates, the partition regulates the quantity of matter falling into the dispensing compartment and directs matter not discharged from the dispensing compartment back into the other compartment.