I have/had a Brown Malu which we bought with a true pair of Percs, the Malu came attached to a piece of rock. I placed them in the tank and everything seemed fine. Atfer a couple of days the Malu went walkabouts and continued to be unsettled as if he was trying to find a better location.
All tank parameters are fine BTW
I was told that the Malus like to anchor themselves into the sand, so I was very shocked and surprised when I came down one morning and he'd got his tenticles sucked up in one of the filter inlets, which is about halfway up the tank. I manged to free him and by moving him I also tore him (I had no choice, I had to move him!) He seemed a bit sorry for himself but after a few hours expanded and looked fine, then after a couple of days moved to the back of the tank but looked healthy enough. I had btw moved the filter inlet to near the top of the tank.
I've become a bit paranoid on his movements so while i'm at work I constatly ring home and check his position, i'm worried that on one side at the top there is the pump for the skimmer, two power heads and the redirected inlet for one of the filters. He has never been anywhere near this area at all so I thought it was safe.
After waking up this morning I did my usuall and went straight downstairs to check .... shock horror!!!! He's caught up in the skimmer pump right at the top of the tank. I turn the skimmer off and pull him out with fairly minimal damage, I take the skimmer pump housing off to clean and just let the Malu float down to the sand, he looks small and bedragled. Next to the skimmer pump is a powerhead. On closer inspection half the malu is caught up in the powerhead as well, bear in mind that when I took the first part out of the skimmer pump there was no tearing, he freed quite easily so I assume he had already split.
So to sumarise what I had is two halves of a Malu both looking pretty grim after his ordeal. I had 10 minutes before I had to leave for work and no one else was at home today. I made a decision to ditch the Malu so I took both halves out a dispossed of him!!!
Basically I took the above action because I was really worried that the Malus death would really pollute the water I would not be home for 10 hours.
In hindsight after reading a few more threads here I was not aware that they can split and survive/regrow.
I feel really gutted at whats happened but what lessons do I take from this. Obviously I need to get some guards for the inlets or build some sort of acrylic housing with lots of holes in for water movement and put all the equipment behind.
Anyone got any suggestions as to how best to achieve a Malu friendly environment, I really don't think I could go through all this again, yet I really need a replacement -
1. because their awesome.
2. for the pair of Percs.
3. to ease my guilt.
But I will not do anything until its safe....
So, anyone got any info on purchasing gaurds and there effectiveness, or is the way to go a custom built housing for all equipment?
TAI..
All tank parameters are fine BTW
I was told that the Malus like to anchor themselves into the sand, so I was very shocked and surprised when I came down one morning and he'd got his tenticles sucked up in one of the filter inlets, which is about halfway up the tank. I manged to free him and by moving him I also tore him (I had no choice, I had to move him!) He seemed a bit sorry for himself but after a few hours expanded and looked fine, then after a couple of days moved to the back of the tank but looked healthy enough. I had btw moved the filter inlet to near the top of the tank.
I've become a bit paranoid on his movements so while i'm at work I constatly ring home and check his position, i'm worried that on one side at the top there is the pump for the skimmer, two power heads and the redirected inlet for one of the filters. He has never been anywhere near this area at all so I thought it was safe.
After waking up this morning I did my usuall and went straight downstairs to check .... shock horror!!!! He's caught up in the skimmer pump right at the top of the tank. I turn the skimmer off and pull him out with fairly minimal damage, I take the skimmer pump housing off to clean and just let the Malu float down to the sand, he looks small and bedragled. Next to the skimmer pump is a powerhead. On closer inspection half the malu is caught up in the powerhead as well, bear in mind that when I took the first part out of the skimmer pump there was no tearing, he freed quite easily so I assume he had already split.
So to sumarise what I had is two halves of a Malu both looking pretty grim after his ordeal. I had 10 minutes before I had to leave for work and no one else was at home today. I made a decision to ditch the Malu so I took both halves out a dispossed of him!!!
Basically I took the above action because I was really worried that the Malus death would really pollute the water I would not be home for 10 hours.
In hindsight after reading a few more threads here I was not aware that they can split and survive/regrow.
I feel really gutted at whats happened but what lessons do I take from this. Obviously I need to get some guards for the inlets or build some sort of acrylic housing with lots of holes in for water movement and put all the equipment behind.
Anyone got any suggestions as to how best to achieve a Malu friendly environment, I really don't think I could go through all this again, yet I really need a replacement -
1. because their awesome.
2. for the pair of Percs.
3. to ease my guilt.
But I will not do anything until its safe....
So, anyone got any info on purchasing gaurds and there effectiveness, or is the way to go a custom built housing for all equipment?
TAI..
