diff --git a/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/Ermshark.cs b/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/Ermshark.cs
index 91bec800..a1ceb1db 100644
--- a/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/Ermshark.cs
+++ b/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/Ermshark.cs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ private void Mitosis(Vector3 position, GameObject hurtEffect)
         const float splitScaleModifier = 0.69f;
         if (!_ermsharkPrefab)
         {
-            LOGGER.LogError($"No prefab for mitosis, committing Minecraft");
+            LOGGER.LogWarning("No prefab for mitosis, committing Minecraft");
             mitosisRemaining = 0;
             SOS();
             return;
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ private void Mitosis(Vector3 position, GameObject hurtEffect)
 
         liveMixin.ResetHealth();
         transform.position = position + Random.insideUnitSphere * 0.5f;
-        transform.GetChild(0).localScale *= splitScaleModifier;
+        Transform model = transform.GetChild(0);
+        model.localScale *= splitScaleModifier;
+        // if the shark gets small enough, carrying other fish looks weird (bc they're bigger than it)
+        if (model.localScale.x < 0.3f) DisableCarry(gameObject);
 
         mitosisRemaining--;
         SpawnDecoy(position);
@@ -93,7 +96,13 @@ private void SpawnDecoy(Vector3 position)
 
         ermshark.mitosisRemaining = mitosisRemaining;
 
-        CarryCreature carry = decoy.GetComponent<CarryCreature>();
-        if (carry) carry.enabled = false;
+        DisableCarry(decoy);
+    }
+
+    private static void DisableCarry(GameObject shark)
+    {
+        // forgor there are actually two of them on the shark
+        foreach (CarryCreature carry in shark.GetComponents<CarryCreature>())
+            Destroy(carry);
     }
 }
diff --git a/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/ErmsharkAttack.cs b/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/ErmsharkAttack.cs
index 492b9721..394d62e4 100644
--- a/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/ErmsharkAttack.cs
+++ b/SCHIZO/Creatures/Ermshark/ErmsharkAttack.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ public override void OnTouch(Collider collider)
         if (player)
         {
             GameObject heldObject = Inventory.main.GetHeldObject();
-            if (heldObject && canBeFed && player.CanBeAttacked() && TryEat(heldObject, true))
+            if (heldObject && canBeFed && player.CanBeAttacked()
+                && !heldObject.GetComponent<Carryable>() // otherwise decoy ermsharks eat ermfish from your hands
+                && TryEat(heldObject, true))
             {
                 if (this.GetBiteSound()) Utils.PlayEnvSound(this.GetBiteSound(), mouth.transform.position);
                 gameObject.SendMessage("OnMeleeAttack", heldObject, SendMessageOptions.DontRequireReceiver);
diff --git a/SCHIZO/Events/ErmfishDefenseForce/ErmfishDefenseForce.cs b/SCHIZO/Events/ErmfishDefenseForce/ErmfishDefenseForce.cs
index c747e8b0..51c3ad48 100644
--- a/SCHIZO/Events/ErmfishDefenseForce/ErmfishDefenseForce.cs
+++ b/SCHIZO/Events/ErmfishDefenseForce/ErmfishDefenseForce.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
-using RuntimeDebugDraw;
 using Unity.Collections;
 using UnityEngine;
 using UWE;
@@ -184,8 +183,8 @@ private IEnumerator SpawnDefenderGroup(Defender defender)
                 .OrderBy(hit => hit.point.DistanceSqrXZ(player.transform.position))
                 .FirstOrDefault();
             if (blockingHit.point != default)
-                spawnPos = blockingHit.point;
-            
+                spawnPos = blockingHit.point + blockingHit.normal * 0.1f;
+
             GameObject instance = GameObject.Instantiate(prefab);
             instance.transform.position = spawnPos;
             if (debugSpawns)