Automated fish-feeding device

An automated fish-feeding device comprising:

• a feeder mechanism and a controller;
• wherein the automated fish-feeding device is adapted to dispense fish food to fish in an aquarium in the absence of a user;
• wherein the feeder mechanism dispenses a plurality of seaweed sheets, frozen fish food cubes, or both in accordance with a predetermined schedule;
• wherein the feeder mechanism comprises a refrigeration unit for chilling the frozen fish food cubes and a pump to thaw an individual frozen fish food cube using aquarium water before dispensing the individual frozen fish food cube;
• wherein the automated fish-feeding device is packaged in an aquarium-mount enclosure that hangs on the side of the aquarium;
• wherein the frozen fish food cubes are stored in a plurality of compartments before being dispensed;
• wherein an individual compartment selected from the plurality of compartments stores one of the individual frozen fish food cubes;
• wherein the individual frozen fish food cube released from the individual compartment lands on a cube ramp;
• wherein the controller pumps the aquarium water onto the cube ramp to thaw the individual frozen fish food cube;
• wherein once thawed, the individual frozen fish food cube slides down the cube ramp and into the aquarium;
• wherein the feeder mechanism comprises a sheet feeder and a frozen cube feeder;
• wherein the feeder mechanism is suspended above the aquarium water;
• wherein the sheet feeder and the frozen cube feeder are side-by-side within the feeder mechanism;
• wherein the sheet feeder stores a supply comprising the plurality of seaweed sheets;
• wherein an individual seaweed sheet is drawn from the bottom of the supply by a roller when the roller is activated;
• wherein the roller is activated by energizing a motor;
• wherein the motor is coupled to a motor pulley and the roller is coupled to a roller pulley;
• wherein a belt couples the motor pulley to the roller pulley such that energizing the motor causes rotation of the roller;
• wherein the motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy;
• wherein the motor causes rotation of the motor pulley when the electrical energy is applied to the motor;
• wherein the electrical energy applied to the motor is controlled by the controller;
• wherein the sheet feeder comprises a sheet ramp which directs the plurality of seaweed sheets to the roller.