This tutorial demonstrates how to install and use the brass feeder mechanism, on the Zantiks AD unit, which is used to feed fish.
Unit set up
Installing the brass feeder
If the brass feeder mechanism is not fitted to the top motor platform you need to use the Allen key to attach it as illustrated in this short video. Remember to make sure that the back post of the mechanism is very close but not touching the motor platform.
Feeder demo script
This demo script shows how to use the feeder mechanism. There are two commands for the feeder (as illustrated in the test script below):
FEEDER(1), which rotates the mechanism until the divot is in position to drop solid food.
FEEDER(0) activates a “fake feed”, which will create the noise of the feeder, but the mechanism does not rotate enough to drop any food.
You will hear and see the feeder turning when you run this script.
INCLUDE ZSYS DEFINE ITI 1 DEFINE TRIALS 2 ACTION MAIN INVOKE(FEEDER_TEST,TRIALS) COMPLETE ACTION FEEDER_TEST WAIT(ITI) FEEDER(1) WAIT(ITI) WAIT(ITI) FEEDER(0) WAIT(ITI) COMPLETE
Script download
Here you can download the feeder demo script as a .zs file. Right click on this download link below and download /save the file as a zanscript file, i.e. in the same format: feeder_demo.zs
Script download: feeder_demo.zs
Script run through
Running the feeder demo
This video shows you how to run the feeder demo service on the AD unit.
The brass feeder mechanism for zebrafish takes food for adult zebrafish. The food commonly used in the UK is the ZM400 (size range 400-600 microns) from ZM Systems. However, any similarly sized, slow-sinking fish food that does not become sticky will work reliably for fish reward.
There is a different pellet delivery feeder for mice.
You may also set up the motor platform with the peristaltic pump for liquid delivery. See the Pump demo.
