Urchin white dots?

[karimwassef]

Some of my urchins are starting to exhibit these white dots where there used to be spines?

Looks like a sudden onset of dandruff...

Any idea what this is?

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/CC4E8371-8847-4208-B786-F4A7E123D9E6_zpsxv75k7pn.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/CC4E8371-8847-4208-B786-F4A7E123D9E6_zpsxv75k7pn.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo CC4E8371-8847-4208-B786-F4A7E123D9E6_zpsxv75k7pn.jpg"/></a>

 

[cloak]

I don't know a whole lot about sea urchins, but I wonder if it was releasing a bunch of gametes into the water column? (spawning)

 

[karimwassef]

I wondered about that but don't they puff that out?

 

[Betta132]

They're losing spines? That's bad. It means they're very unhealthy and could die.
Have you changed anything?
Test your salinity and other water parameters and post the exact measurements, the problem could be in there.

 

[karimwassef]

It's only a few of them exhibiting this. Most are unchanged.

They have been bulldozing more, so I need to move them occasionally. Some spines may break when I try to pick them up.