Can Urchins Kill Fish?

[dismayed]

Here's a strange question for you... can long-spined sea urchins kill fish? I only ask because I have had two fish losses recently, and both of them I found them in the same spot in the aquarium, and oddly enough it is at the mouth of this rock cave that my urchin likes to frequent. I'm thinking maybe he is inadvertently backing them into a corner and then when they try to get by they are getting jabbed by one of his spines.

Could this kill a dwarf pygmy angel?

Thanks for your opinions.

 

[T Man]

I would'nt think so, they move too slow and do not have eyes- the only thing that I have seen them kill is my coralline TinMan

 

[ACBlinky]

I really doubt it. Our pincushion urchin is named Speedy because he moves so slowly. A healthy fish can outmaneuver much faster inverts than an urchin, and as TinMan mentioned, urchins are not exactly hunters! I can't see an urchin backing a fish or other creature into a corner; they're just too slow.

My guess is that the losses are related to something else, and the current caused the two bodies to end up in the same spot. Check your parameters just to be safe, and look for signs of aggression or illness. Best of luck, hopefully the remaining fish will be okay.

 

[rssjsb]

I actually read on wetwebmedia about this happening to a pygmy angel. The fish was trapped and panicked, got poked, and died.

 

[RiOnRoxXx]

Urchins are scavengers and can drag dead fish around. I had a long spine urchin that would feast on dead fish. It was harder then heck trying to pull out the dead fish away from the urchin. This could be the reason you find it by its den. Probably saving it for a later snack.

 

[travdixon]

One of my kids ran by my tank and startled one of my fish, who dove into the rockwork directly into my urchin. That was the end of that fish, unfortunately. Other than that, I don't see another way an urchin would kill a fish...

 

[T Man]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10772285#post10772285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by travdixon
One of my kids ran by my tank and startled one of my fish, who dove into the rockwork directly into my urchin. That was the end of that fish, unfortunately. Other than that, I don't see another way an urchin would kill a fish...

Just like the rest of the examples....the FISH kills itself, the urchin is in the wrong place at the wrong time