urchin droping spines

[NanoReefWanabe]

i just got a blue tuxedo urchin (that is what the LFS had in stock that would handily eat green hair algae, and that is what they called it)

he has been doing a bang up job on the GHA, but i have noticed piles of spines in his wake...

is this common for them to shed spines? i am pretty sure there is nothing playing with him...other inhabitants include black brittle star, scarlet hermits, various snails, 2 clowns and a 6line...

if it is common practice, why do they do it? growth thing?

 

[Octoberfest]

Depends on what you mean by dropping spines, is it a lot, or one or two here and there. If its a lot its usually not a good sign. I've lost two urchins, mainly because I didn't aclimate them long enough and my tank conditions were not right. Right before I lost them they started dropping spines like crazy. Keep an eye on it. If it appears to not be holding its spines up, almost as if they're laying down its on its way out. I can tell you that when they do die it can make a mess of your tank so its better to get them out before that point.

Hopefully I'm wrong though and its just "shedding" or something.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

eeeee gats...

i am going to poke it with a stick to see if it is still moving..

 

[Octoberfest]

HAHAHA...mine move more at night.

 

[plateboy3293]

Does the blue tuxedo carrying around anything such as algae, coral, or shells if he is not carrying around anything it is a bad sign.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

nothing stuck to him....but i placed on my hair algae farm and he hasnt moved from it...just been chowing down...i am keeping a close eye on him...if i pull him out will he have a nice distinct rotting anemone type smell if he is dying?

 

[plateboy3293]

Not sure on the smell. try putting some empty snail shells or small rocks near him to see if he will pick them up..

 

[jhildebrand]

Yeeeeeeah, as Octoberfest stated if you're losing a pile of spines it's really stressed or ill. Bad sign. Like stars, they need very careful acclimation. Hardy once established, but you've got to be gentle getting them into the tank. No sudden changes. Mine is very healthy, but not always carrying things. It'll go through periods of collecting every shell in sight and the next day he might drop them all. Not really a sign of good or bad health IMO.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

well he is moving around quite a bit and seems to be powering through the algae...i will take it as a good sign...he doesnt seem to be losing too many spines now...i would say the day after adding him there was about 30 or so left in his wake...now i hardly see any...they also look a lot more puffy on his back now too and i can see his little tentacles in the spines waving around alot...before they looked pretty flat....i really like the porcupine look over the half dead opossum look...

i have also noticed small pieces of rock and sand sticking to him...

 

[Paul B]

I would say he will be dead in a few days, Sorry

 

[chrisstie]

I hope your urchin recovers. If he's starting to stick stuff to him and no longer losing spines I don't think I'd be as bold as Paul B to say he'll be dead in a few days. Hang in there and see how he does.

Mine is so funny he sticks *everything* to him. I have a small zoa colony growing on his back, a little bit of monti cap I had broken off on accident, hermit shell.. pretty good camoflauge He looks like a little reef-ball

 

[jhildebrand]

Good luck with him. Eating is always a good thing and if it's not losing any more spines it may recover. Usually you see gradual loss of spines leading to death. They usually make it if they stop losing the spines. You should then see new growth soon if it's healthy again. The shock from poor acclimation can cause the spontaneous loss. Keep an eye on him and get him out if he does perish though.

 

[Paul B]

I hope he recovers too but loseing spines is generally not a good thing

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

he is climbing all over the glass now...driving me nuts though, algae is on the rocks not on the glass...

is there a trick to handling him? can i just pluck him off the glass and sit him in the field of green?

 

[Paul B]

If you "pluck" If you touch him lightly he will stick hard to the glass and you will have to either wait a while to try again or you will tear off his tube feet. Just quickly push him off the glass. If he senses you, you will have to wait.

(I had a sea urchin collection business)

 

[chrisstie]

I've never really actually heard of having these to remove hair algae. He's probably eating the corraline on your glass maybe?

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

glass is mostly clear of coraline( i cant stand it there...but itis where i cant reach, nor can he though)...and he has mowed down a pile of hair algae already...

i have taken others word for it that they eat it as i was looking for a Sea Hare and was told the urchin would be just as good...

 

[Paul B]

How is the urchin doing?