Death Trap

Apart from our two adult cats (Tigger and Mietzi) and our two new kittens (Chrissi and Leo), we also have 3 fish tanks: two large 4ft tanks (Asian and Amazonian fish) and a new 2ft tank. We don't have many fish in the small tank as yet as it is still maturing. At present, we have 2 pairs of Cherry Barbs and two small Peppered Cory catfish. This catfish (who'll we'll call "stupid"), likes to get itself trapped in the filter. This is not funny, and shouldn't happen in the first place if the manufacturer (Superfish) built a decent filter.

I purchased the tank as a kit at Maidenhead Aquatics. Last Friday, I noticed one of the catfish trapped in the side of the filter ... it had been sucked in. This simply should not happen, but there is a gap (badly designed) where the lever can be moved left and right to adjust the flow rate of the water in the tank. The catfish can easily wedge in there. I freed him last Friday, but his pectoral fin(s) was damaged in the result ... he struggled to swim thereafter.

Today, I noticed the same thing again. I called the manager at the local Maidenhead Aquatics store and he agreed to swap the filter over for a better design (a Fluval). He also agreed to replacing both my catfish.

I doubt if this catfish will be alive in the morning.

I think it is criminal that such a manufacturer does not take such things into consideration.