Pincushion urchin spins falling out

[Mlarson]

I just got into the hobby over this past summer so I still have a lot to learn. Is it possible that my urchin is starving? I have checked all my levels and they are all within parameters. I have a pretty decent sized cleanup crew I think.....I assumed that because I can still see plenty of detritus in the sand and my lawnmower blenny is still constantly smashing his face into the rocks that there is enough for the clean up crew to eat.

Temp 78
0 nitrates
0 nitrites
Calcium 429
Alk 8.9
phos 0
ph 8.3

 

[Newbie219]

Hello! I am new to the hobby too. We have a pincushion urchin and he sheds needles regularly. It is a little alarming to see them in the sand, but as far as I know normal.

 

[Mlarson]

Hello! I am new to the hobby too. We have a pincushion urchin and he sheds needles regularly. It is a little alarming to see them in the sand, but as far as I know normal.

From what I had read so far on the forums everyone was saying it was a bad sign and usually a result of a change in the water levels. I guess some people use them as a canary because they are one of the first to react....the fact that my levels are all stable has me confused and I started to wonder if my tank doesn't have enough algae for it to eat. I hope it just a normal thing though.