ZAF, the first open source fully automated feeder for aquatic facilities

Area of Science:

• Aquatic animal research
• Laboratory automation
• Animal husbandry

Background:

• Aquatic animals are increasingly used as model organisms in biological research.
• Maintaining aquatic facilities requires significant time and resources, particularly for animal feeding.
• Existing feeding methods can be inconsistent and labor-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an open-source, automated feeding system for aquatic animal facilities.
• To create a reliable, cost-efficient, and easy-to-build feeding solution.
• To offer a customizable system adaptable to various laboratory needs.

Main Methods:

• Design and construction of the Zebrafish Automatic Feeder (ZAF) and its advanced version (ZAF+).
• Development of open-source mechanics, electronics, and fluidics.
• Implementation of a user-friendly control software with a graphical interface.

Main Results:

• ZAF and ZAF+ provide standardized, reliable, and cost-efficient daily feeding.
• ZAF+ allows precise food distribution based on fish density and features a user-friendly interface.
• The modular design is scalable and adaptable to diverse laboratory environments.
• The system does not adversely affect zebrafish health or culture.

Conclusions:

• The Zebrafish Automatic Feeder (ZAF) system effectively automates daily feeding for aquatic facilities.
• This open-source solution reduces labor and resource demands, facilitating aquatic colony management.
• ZAF and ZAF+ are adaptable, scalable, and do not negatively impact animal welfare, making them valuable tools for researchers.