Urchin releasing white cloud????

[binaryterror]

HELP! My brand new pincusion urchin (Lytechinus vaniegatus) has been puffing out this stuff that is white and its like cloudy. All of my fish are staying away from it so I am hoping it isn't like a toxin. Help!!!!!!

 

[rickh]

It's probably just a boy doing his thing.

 

[binaryterror]

But it is like a cloud. Very fine cloud. Is it bad at all? And why is it doing it as soon as I put him in my tank??

 

[binaryterror]

I just looked again, and now my entire tank is cloudy, and the water smells like crap. What am i going to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahh i should have never bought this stupid thing!!!!

 

[scarpenter]

what type of urchin is it?

 

[binaryterror]

HELP! My brand new pincusion urchin (Lytechinus vaniegatus)

I said it in my first post. lol

 

[TKByrnes]

It sounds like he is releasing his soldiers!!!

 

[CThomas609]

yes thats what it is... theres a photo and description of it in Anthony Calfo's book Reef Invertebrates.

 

[binaryterror]

Well, late last night I saw it realsing this little balls. It wasn't the cloud like before, but it was these weird little balls. I am hoping he isn't like mass polluting my tank!!

 

[Nabber86]

run some carbon

 

[Dan]

The cloud was sperm, the little balls are eggs. Provide plenty of cigarettes. Seriously, crank up the protein skimmer and prepare a large water change. If your tank has well established filtration (rock, sand, etc.) it will recover.

Dan

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Exactly. You just had your urchin spawn. Urchins are broadcast spawners which means they release their gametes into the water to be fertilized. This can and will crash a tank if precautions aren't taken. They quickly die and begin to rot and send your tank into a Nitrogen Cycle as well as take up a fair amount of oxygen. Water Changes and good, wet Skimming should keep this in line.

 

[binaryterror]

Well.... this is a 24g Aquapod. No skimmer, but I run plenty of carbon and some cheato. how big of a waterchange should I do?

I have alot of LR by the way. alsmot all the way filled.

 

[Dan]

Well, if you have that much rock, then estimating the actual gallonage could be dificult. I would say make up 15-20 gallons of water, let it mix/heat overnight, then drain the tank water level down 20% of the tank height. Refill with new water. Observe your critters for stress. If necessary, do another 20% in a day or 2. Maybe new carbon as well. Good luck.

Dan

 

[jasob]

If it were my tank I would have taken the urchin and put him in an isolation tank until he quit polluting the water. Also over the next 3 days - 1 week I would change out 100% of the water, at least once.

Good luck, hope everything recovers ok!

 

[binaryterror]

Alrighty, Ok have 5g of new SW mixing. I will put it in tomorrow after school.