Titanium Heater Freak Accident

[elpezgrande]

I have one of those heaters with a titanium shaft heating element and it just killed my Long Tentacled Anemone. I had seen the anemone touch the heater with its tentacles many times over the months with no problems. However 3 days ago it's outer body (part on the outside a little above the orange foot) somehow got stuck to the titanium shaft and when it pulled itself away, a large chunk was torn off. It held on for a day or so, but didn't make it.

So why did it get stuck to the heater? The only thing I can think of is some sort of electrical charge going through the heating element as it turned off or on caused this freak accident. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Should I consider getting a glass heater? My cleaner shrimp likes to hang out on the heater too, and I'd hate to loose him to another freak accident.

 

[thomas712]

First of all, of course there is an electrical charge going through the heating element, perfectly normal.
Second, does there seem to be anything wrong with the heater not heating, over heating, wild fluctuations of heat?
your anemone may have tried to sting the heater in response to heating or some stray voltage, I'm just not sure.
To solve the problem the heater should be relocated so that it doesn't touch anything in the main tank, preferable to have it in a sump or wet/dry. If in the main tank then perhaps you could make a pvc sleeve with holes for it, just have a power head pointing toward it to keep heat even throughout the tank.
:thinking:

 

[elpezgrande]

Thanks for the reply Thomas. I didn't think anemone's tried to sting with the lower portions of their bodies, I guess I was wrong. The heater is and has been working normally. Unfortunately I have no sump, but the PVC pipe is a good idea, I think I'll give that a try.