Could a long spine urchin eat an acropora frag?
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Considering that was skeleton, as in rock, something had to have done it rather than an RTN event. Any other culprits in your tank?
Not that I can think of. The urchin was a hitchhiker on gulf live rock. It has grown a lot in a year. It was also hanging around the base of other acro frags before they lost tissue at the base. Internet searches seem to indicate it's not uncommon.
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Search results for query: Urchin eating acropora
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Urchin bye bye?
Yes, I think
so. So, how best to remove it. I've never had one before.
I hadnāt heard of a long spine but my hitchhiker pencil urchin killed a platygyra. Then again I wouldnāt put it past any larger urchin
Paul B
Premium Member
I used to have a sea urchin collection business where I collected about 50 at a time by SCUBA diving here in NY. You have to move it quickly off the rock. If you just touch it, it will grab the rock hard and you will tear it's tube feet removing it as they will not let go.
"Smack" it gently to get it to move off the rock before it senses you, then grab it. Simple. Then "coax" it into a container but don't let it's sucker feet to stick to anything until it is in whatever you are putting it into.
You can see them all over the place here. Obviously not New York. The Moorish Idol may have given it away.
But here, they look the same and are very prevalent.
"Smack" it gently to get it to move off the rock before it senses you, then grab it. Simple. Then "coax" it into a container but don't let it's sucker feet to stick to anything until it is in whatever you are putting it into.
You can see them all over the place here. Obviously not New York. The Moorish Idol may have given it away.
But here, they look the same and are very prevalent.
and maybe..
What do you smack it with?
That's what I was thinking.
Definitely. Thicker ones I have.and maybe..
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Paul B
Premium Member
Either some body elses hand or a wooden paint stirrer.
Agreed. This is a long spine. ETA scratch that, bad cell service. Canāt post the pic. Look a up Diadema species to see a long spine
