Water Heater

[Stanley7113]

Hello my water heater has black spots all over it but have noticed a lot have come off will this cause a problem eg are they there to stop the fish getting burnt etc thanks

 

[attibones]

It's possibly just diatoms, a relatively harmless algae. Could you post a picture?

 

[Stanley7113]

Hello heater was like that when it came part if the heater black spots part of the design interpet delta therm heater just wondering whether them coming off will affect the fish like make them more vulnerable to get burnt/ shocked by heat etc thanks

 

[fluttermoth]

I have one of those heaters, and I'm 99% sure they're for looks only, and don't serve any useful purpose.
 
If you are worried about fish getting burnt, you should have a heater guard; especially if you have any sort of suckermouth catfish, like plecs, that like to sit on heaters and often don't notice the heat (as they have such thick, armour-like scutes) until they're already quite badly burnt.
 
If the joint where the flex goes in, and the glass isn't cracked, you shouldn't have to worry about shocks either