Blue Tuxedo Urchin - needs help!

[Scottmac]

Hi, I received a blue Tux urchin over 2 days ago and it hasn't moved and is starting to shed a few spines. The spines and the tentacles in between the spines are moving however so it is alive, it just has not budged from its position on the sand so i'm afraid that it isn't getting food.

The nitrates are a little high, other than that all specs fine (sal 1.026, temp 24oC), and all other fish and inverts are OK (aside from a case of white spot.)
Any advice would be appreciated!

Scott

 

[IKD]

What are your nitrates? Did you acclimate from the shipping water or just put it in?

 

[Fishy212]

Your tank looks really new.. I think you will have an issue of not having enough natural foods for your urchin and starfish, unfortunately . You have to supplement for them or most likely they will die. The urchin loosing spines is a number one sign of water chemistry. How did you acclimate it?

 

[Scottmac]

I use Test strips so it does not give an exact reading, but showing between 10 and 20 ppm.

I used a drip acclimitiser for an hour and a half for the urchin, it seems to have worked for everything else.

 

[New&no clue]

After you drip acclimated did you replace the used water with saltwater in your tank?

I ask because if you drip and leave your ATO on it will fill your tank with fresh water, dropping your salinity. So what you acclimated it to and what you drop it into don’t match.

 

[najer]

Your temperature is also low if that is correct.

 

[IKD]

I wonder if the lower temperature is part of the problem. 24C is about 75 degrees. I usually keep mine at 78-80 (25.5C-26.5)

 

[IKD]

Your temperature is also low if that is correct.

LOL, same line of thought!

 

[Perthegallon]

I wonder if the lower temperature is part of the problem. 24C is about 75 degrees. I usually keep mine at 78-80 (25.5C-26.5)

That’s not a problem I keep mine 75 and have over 5 urchins

 

[Perthegallon]

Your temperature is also low if that is correct.

75 isn’t that low

 

[Scottmac]

After you drip acclimated did you replace the used water with saltwater in your tank?

I ask because if you drip and leave your ATO on it will fill your tank with fresh water, dropping your salinity. So what you acclimated it to and what you drop it into don’t match.

Hi, thanks for the replies. I had ready made salt water to rebalance the salinity, I think it dropped to 1.024 for a very short time, then back up to 1.026.

Tank has been running for about 2 months now, but before that I had a smaller starter tank running since feb with live rock/sand in preparation.

Anything else I an do to try and energise the urchin? what's their fav food?

 

[IKD]

you mentioned white spot. Did you add any copper treatment by chance? That would impact inverts like an urchin.

 

[najer]

That’s not a problem I keep mine 75 and have over 5 urchins

75 isn’t that low

If it came from a tank at 26.5 it is a shock, I have 6 or 7, love them, just trying to add to the thinking on what happened.

 

[IKD]

If it came from a tank at 26.5 it is a shock, I have 6 or 7, love them, just trying to add to the thinking on what happened.

Just to add to that, if you drip acclimated for an hour and a half, the temperature would have dropped in the bucket unless that water was heated as well. So adding to a tank could be a shock.

 

[najer]

Anything else I an do to try and energise the urchin? what's their fav food?

Do you have an area of rock you can place it on that has algae on it?

 

[najer]

Just to add to that, if you drip acclimated for an hour and a half, the temperature would have dropped in the bucket unless that water was heated as well. So adding to a tank could be a shock.

Yes, I acclimate with bags floating in my tank.

 

[Scottmac]

Hi,

This was online order so arrived in the post, the temp in the bag was colder than in my tank. So before I did the drip acclimating I added the bags to the tank to raise to tank temp for about 30 mins.

I will place it on algae-covered rock to see if that helps, and raise the tank temp by a degree.

Thanks for the advice

Scott

 

[Fishy212]

Hi,

This was online order so arrived in the post, the temp in the bag was colder than in my tank. So before I did the drip acclimating I added the bags to the tank to raise to tank temp for about 30 mins.

I will place it on algae-covered rock to see if that helps, and raise the tank temp by a degree.

Thanks for the advice

Scott

Do everything slowly and gradually. Inverts in general do not respond well to fluctuating water parameters. If you plan on raising the temp, my suggestion is to do it gradually over the next couples of days. It will also give you enough time to observe the urchin to make sure his spines are all in check. Good luck

 

[IKD]

Sounds like you’re doing everything right and it may have suffered in the shipping. Did you see my question about any white spot treatment?

 

[Perthegallon]

If it came from a tank at 26.5 it is a shock, I have 6 or 7, love them, just trying to add to the thinking on what happened.

oh okay sorry I thought you meant the tank was to cold