Acclimating urchin

Kapachuka3 · Feb 23, 2021

Might get another tuxedo urchin and I want to acclimate it right so it survives. Anybody want to tell me how you do it?

mdb_talon · Feb 23, 2021

I think ideally drip acclimating over an hour is ideal for something sensitive like an urchin. However have to be careful temp does not drop too much in acclimating container.

However what i do with snails/urchins/etc is empty into tupperware with transport water and then add about about a cup of tank water every 5 to 10 min for about 45 minutes and never have an issue.

Kapachuka3 · Feb 23, 2021

mdb_talon said:
I think ideally drip acclimating over an hour is ideal for something sensitive like an urchin. However have to be careful temp does not drop too much in acclimating container.

However what i do with snails/urchins/etc is empty into tupperware with transport water and then add about about a cup of tank water every 5 to 10 min for about 45 minutes and never have an issue.

How do you take an urchin out of a bag, the way you do it? Just dump it or take it by hand and place it?

mdb_talon · Feb 23, 2021

Kapachuka3 said:
How do you take an urchin out of a bag, the way you do it? Just dump it or take it by hand and place it?

I do it by hand

SteveMM62Reef · Feb 24, 2021

I take one of the Store Plastic Soup containers with me to the LFS. I have them put the Urchin in that, rather than a plastic bag. I bent a piece of Lee’s 1/4” tubing in a “U” I use that as my drip, the Soup container is forced down under the glass top. I let the Urchin freely crawl out after the drip acclamation. BTW, I’ve never had any success, with mail order Urchins.

Kapachuka3 · Feb 24, 2021

mdb_talon said:
I do it by hand

So would the urchin be fine if I keep it in the bag and use the acclimation system you do but without emptying it into a container

SteveMM62Reef · Feb 25, 2021

It’s never placed in a plastic bag, just the plastic container. Also I repeatedly remove a bit of water from the container and discard it. I also let the LFS Mark the price on the container, as I’ve had some balking over that.

redeyejedi · Feb 25, 2021

Ive always put urchins straight in the tank with 100% survival rate.

SteveMM62Reef · Feb 25, 2021

I think the pH is what kills them. Too low or a sudden shift and they are done. I had Tuxedos in a 90 gallon, and they would breed during a water change. I think it was from trace elements being restored. Back then I heavier up on the additives in the new water.