Tuxedo Urchin looks strange, stressed? falls over?

[Cantusaurus]

Hi, so I got a red tuxedo urchin recently (about 4-5 days ago) A TINY one (aquacultured), I had never seen one this small. I acclimated him (admittedly quickly) I wanted to get him into the tank quickly, but I did do a quick drip acclimation. I put him in and he looked great. The next day he looked fine although the peppermint shrimp was messing with him. He got flipped over I believe, and I wasn't sure if it was due to the peppermint shrimp, or if the shrimp was investigating. But even when he is upright the shrimp sometimes will mess with him a bit. I noticed he would get flipped one or two more times that day which worried me. I put some algae pellets near/on him to make sure he had food (even though my tank had a good amount of green microalgae all over the rocks. Just to make sure he would be healthy in meantime. Although, I noticed he kept falling on his back again, and I was wondering why. I took 2 pictures of him. I'm not sure if the spines near his mouth were damaged and that's why he falls. Is the little white ring normal? I flipped him over and he still moves around just not a crazy amount, and I'm slightly concerned. His spines looks fine in general, maybe a couple here and there missing due to falling and having to be flipped upright with a pipette or possibly other reasons. I'm wondering if it was stress and due to him not being able to acclimate and the shrimp stressing him out, I guess also where he entered the peppermint shrimp likes to hang out, but still. I'm not sure really if there's anything I can do, and I don't want to give him an algae sheet since the peppermint shrimp I have is a big food stealer, and to keep the nutrients in the tank down.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Likely too short of an acclimation sadly. Any idea of the starting and ending salinity?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Ya plus one not acclimated enough, too many swings for the urchin

 

[Cantusaurus]

Likely too short of an acclimation sadly. Any idea of the starting and ending salinity?

I believe the salinity was around 1.025. That's what they usually have it at. In my tank I like to have it between 1.025 -1.026 (and keep it consistent), so not a huge jump, and I made sure to do a slow drip over like 20 mins. He looked fine though when he was put in the tank, like he was moving great and looked really good, and just looked super healthy overall. The next day he looked fine, just kept getting messed with. But it very well could've not been an insufficient acclimation for other water elements. I ordered him on algaebarn, and that was the main reason for me wanting him to get into the tank pretty quickly. There are barely any urchins in my area for some reason, and it's like the same price even if I find one and there's no guarantee it'll be small or aquacultured. But yeah I should've given a longer acclimation, I dunno what I was thinking.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

It happens! They can bounce back in the right conditions. High nitrates will stress them out. Spot feeding nori and place it right under him.

 

[Cantusaurus]

Alright yeah. Thanks for the input Hopefully I'll nurse him back to health. And I notice you the Fluval 13.5g. How's that going? I have the fluval 32.5, and it has surprised me with what corals I'm able to keep.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I love my little tank and it is doing very well for a first time reef tank. Most are downstairs but I keep my evo upstairs in the living room. 3D printed upgrades and reef-pi controllers have allowed me to zero in on perfect conditions and the tank runs itself. Idk how my first reef tank has run so smoothly with minimal speed bumps. I keep it backed with soft corals and LPS without issue so a bit confused on why every hates on the stock lighting haha

 

[Cantusaurus]

That's good to hear! Wow, and impressive on the stability you have. This is my first reef tank too and my lps are doing great, and I'm giving some SPS a try. LIke my monti cap is actually looking really nice, and it's only half way up in tank, not even at the top. It's crazy how everyone tries to sell you the JBJ/Red Sea, and get an expensive light, but the lighting has been doing great for me.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Only time will tell. I have Primes on my 40 and the controllability is a nice function tbh. Let me know if he pulls through!

 

[dvgyfresh]

I had an urchin and it fell over only one time, I dosed a bunch of kalk near it and it fell over , I think the sudden change in PH effected it. Urchin was fine afterwards as it was already used to my tank but it could be a cause

 

[Kapachuka3]

Alright yeah. Thanks for the input Hopefully I'll nurse him back to health. And I notice you the Fluval 13.5g. How's that going? I have the fluval 32.5, and it has surprised me with what corals I'm able to keep.

Dude I love that tank I have one

 

[Afaylenerich88]

You should drip acclimate your urchin for 1 hour. This will Insure his survival into the tank. But enough food is another animal all together.