How is my tuxedo urchin still alive?

QuinnLee512 · Dec 25, 2021

Added a foxface rabbitfish recently. This is how I discovered my tuxedo urchin this morning. Moved him to an acclimation chamber and he's still moving. Should I put him out of his misery? Seems cruel letting him be with half his body gone.

cocoReefer · Dec 25, 2021

Dont think a foxface would do that. Looks like a rock fell on it, and it definitely wont survive. Its not uncommon for them to topple a rock onto themselves.
Sorry that critter got found like that. Also, urchins do pass away very slowly. Up to you how to deal with it. Dont let it foul in the tank unless you know something will scavenge it quickly.

ying yang · Dec 25, 2021

Yeah don't think anything you can do to save the little guy.i would personally put him our his misery,he literally hanging onto life by a thread

Auquanut · Dec 25, 2021

Best to end it. Sorry.

QuinnLee512 · Dec 25, 2021

Yeah I did not think that a foxface would do that even though I could have sworn I saw him pick at the urchin when he was already in this state. Only other culprit would be my valentini puffer but he's never touched the urchin before. They've been in the tank together the whole time. I don't have any rocks that can fall over.

cocoReefer · Dec 25, 2021

QuinnLee512 said:
Yeah I did not think that a foxface would do that even though I could have sworn I saw him pick at the urchin when he was already in this state. Only other culprit would be my valentini puffer but he's never touched the urchin before. They've been in the tank together the whole time.

Ive had one knock an acro onto itself. Had a branch puncture it.... thought it may heal, but it didnt. Took about a month to pass.
For what its worth they dont have the same nervous system as us, or brain to process the feelings as us.
If it will feed the tank, thats the natural way of it....

QuinnLee512 · Dec 25, 2021

I'm currently moving from a 32g biocube to a 75g. Would like to have a tuxedo urchin for algae control which is why I'm trying to figure out what happened to see whether I should get another or not.

cocoReefer · Dec 25, 2021

QuinnLee512 said:
I'm currently moving from a 32g biocube to a 75g. Would like to have a tuxedo urchin for algae control which is why I'm trying to figure out what happened to see whether I should get another or not.

In my experience, the pincushions harvested from florida keys last the longest and do the most work. (And cost less!) not as pretty though.

QuinnLee512 · Dec 25, 2021

Thanks. Maybe I'll just stick with big snails like the turbo, conch, and fishes for algae control.

cocoReefer · Dec 25, 2021

Also, tuxedo have large gaps in the spines that a puffer could bite into. Alot of other pincushions dont have those gaps and are more defended. Fwiw.

davidcalgary29 · Dec 25, 2021

How about supergluing an egg shell over the broken part? If it's still hanging on, I'd give it a chance...no matter how slim.

I wouldn't do a build without an urchin. Well, not with a flower urchin, but certainly any other type. My fire urchin is certainly one of the most spectacular inverts I've heard had in one of my tanks, even if I do have to look for it any time I want to put my hands near the aquarium.

QuinnLee512 · Dec 25, 2021

davidcalgary29 said:
How about supergluing an egg shell over the broken part? If it's still hanging on, I'd give it a chance...no matter how slim.

I wouldn't do a build without an urchin. Well, not with a flower urchin, but certainly any other type. My fire urchin is certainly one of the most spectacular inverts I've heard had in one of my tanks, even if I do have to look for it any time I want to put my hands near the aquarium.

Are you saying that these injuries are survivable? I can put him in my coral qt.