Design proposal of an automated feeder for aquaculture

Abstract

We report the design of an automated feeder for tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus, var. Sterling). The feeder resembles a hopper that moves on a straight line over the pond's surface and liberates fish food by rotating an Archimedes screw. The mechanical parts were designed in SolidWorks and printed in PLA plastic (polylactic material). Two servo motors move the prototype and rotate the Archimedes screw when the signals of a microcontroller card are received. The internal memory allows the historical dosage data to be time-stamped and stored so that the fish farmers have reliable and accessible information. The current proposal produces a low-cost device, compared to those commercially available. The prototype allows fish farmers to perform a safe, permanent, and automated dosage of feed, a procedure that, if carried out successfully, minimizes the sedimentation of leftover feed at the bottom of the pond, which contributes to reducing the production of toxic nitrogen compounds in the water.