Urchin?

[Chiefsurfer]

so found something today that interests me. I can almost guarantee I found an urchin quill or spine in my tank. The tank is new, and still cycling(almost done) and noticed something new. When I moved my rock to get a better look at the new thing(looks like a tiny branch of an orange sponge, or one of those squirt thing) and low and behold I find this. It is roughly 1", maybe 1.25" long. It starts about the size of the lead in a pencil, and tapers very gradually to a needle point. It is black, and looks like 1/16" of the fat end would be under some sort of skin.

My question, if I have an urchin, how well can it compress and hide? I only have 20 lbs of rock right now, and there aren't too many big holes. If I do have one, would this be bad? I intend to have a mixed reef, mostly softees and lps, but maybe 1 or 2 sps. Do urchin's pose a threat to this type of tank? If so, how do you reccomend I flush out, or trap?

 

[dalston]

It could have just been a spine that hitchiked lodged in your rocks somewhere, I found a single spine in my sand a few months ago and I haven't owned an urchin in about 3 years.

To answer your other question...Most urchins don't pose a threat to coral however many have the problem of them causing rocklsides or bull dozing frags over the tank. I removed mine because of those reasons.

 

[Chiefsurfer]

good to know, thank you very much. Seems odd that it was there all of a sudden, but got tons of hitch-hiker snails and even some crabs(most I think I have found and gotten rid of, as all that I have found are gorillas) so they could have grabbed it crawling through the rock work.

Thanks.

 

[dalston]

It's a very possible answer for you just now noticing it. It also may have come in with your substrate and has just now surfaced. Usually urchins are pretty active and you should have seen it out and about looking for food if there is a live one in the tank, I have seen stranger things happen however

 

[Aliie]

I just got one of these and about 6 of the spines fell off. Should I be worried or do they shed?



I also just got one of these and it seems as if all the empty crab shells are sticking to it. Should I remove them?

 

[Aliie]

Anyone?

 

[J. Montgomery]

I just got one of these and about 6 of the spines fell off. Should I be worried or do they shed?

I also just got one of these and it seems as if all the empty crab shells are sticking to it. Should I remove them?

First question: No, don't worry unless it drops a lot of spines and starts to look bare. That would be bad.

Second question: No, leave the empty shells, the urchin is actively holding them and carrying them around. Pull off the shell may actually break off the urchin's suckers too.

 

[Blownsvt]

i love my urchin. I haven't had any issues with rock slides or buldozing anything. I don't have any really small frags though. People find it to be quite cool to watch it "walk" around the tank.

 

[dalston]

Agreed with J. Montgomery, the long spine may have just dropped a few due to the stress of a new tank, just watch out it doesn't keep dropping them. The second is just doing what it does best, camouflaging itself. I have seen some pick up frags in an effort of better a disguise.

 

[sailfintang]

Do you guys have any luck with moving them onto rocks in order to consume some algae? Should we move them like snails or just allow them to do their thing? Also how would you move these guys? Can you pick them up or use something to slide them somewhere?

 

[mod0522]

I've found it really difficult to remove urchins from rockwork with out damaging a good deal of spines. If you manage to see it crossing a small gap or on the sand bed you can gently pick it up and move it where you want it, but take care not to get a spine in your finger. They are hard to get out and it stings like a mother! I stepped on a longspine in the Caribbean a few years ago, not fun!!!

 

[sailfintang]

I've found it really difficult to remove urchins from rockwork with out damaging a good deal of spines. If you manage to see it crossing a small gap or on the sand bed you can gently pick it up and move it where you want it, but take care not to get a spine in your finger. They are hard to get out and it stings like a mother! I stepped on a longspine in the Caribbean a few years ago, not fun!!!

Yea I was afraid of getting zapped in the hand. the urchin is under a rock currently i want it on the rock doing some clean up but don't want to poke and prod it into place. I will check on him when i get home if he is still on the sand i will attempt to move him maybe find a thick rubber glove. Thanks.