Urchin looks lively but dropping a few spines

[Glass Algae]

Just got an urchin into my tank and it's already moving around and munching algae very actively. I noticed it's dropped a few spines on the sand bed maybe like 13 to 15 its hard to see with lights out.

Is it done for or is this normal stress for a new urchin

Keep in mind the urchin came late by about 4 hours and the bag was only an 1/8th filled as it seems to have leaked during delivery.

Like I said it seems to be chugging along on the glass like nothings wrong. Is it doing what shrimps sometimes do and molting in a new environment?

 

[Goaway]

Test nitrates. Mine did this for a week after arrival. Never lost too many for concern. They will grow back.

 

[Glass Algae]

Test nitrates. Mine did this for a week after arrival. Never lost too many for concern. They will grow back.

My nitrates are almost undetectable right now due to bad hair algae out break. I know wwc says they have nitrates at 30ppm on their specs guide. So I figured this may be the case. Other than the spines it is literally just zoomin around more than any other addition I've ever added I figured it was just settling in and getting used to my params.


Should I just let it rock for about a week and chrkc it for bald spots? What's the protocol with watching for spines?

 

[Goaway]

Look for bald spots. I wouldn't worry, until you see a pile you can't count. It will probably shed a bit more.

 

[Glass Algae]

Look for bald spots. I wouldn't worry, until you see a pile you can't count. It will probably shed a bit more.

Ok this is what I figured. Thanks for the great insight as usual Mibu!

 

[Goaway]

NP, just give updates when you can

 

[Glass Algae]

NP, just give updates when you can

Will do.

It's still moving along the glass and now checking out the new frag I put in. Maybe a total of 25 spines that I can see.

It's actively moving its lower mouth spines and doing its pulsing thing. Some of the top tentacles are pulled in but they're pulsing m the bottom tentacles are feeling around very actively

I'm gunna just try and ignore it for the rest of the night so I don't worry wart myself.

I'll update tomorrow unless something drastic happens tonight

 

[Goaway]

That shipping is very stressful on them. He's roaming and grazing. Don't worry too much. What kind of urchin is it?

 

[Glass Algae]

That shipping is very stressful on them. He's roaming and grazing. Don't worry too much. What kind of urchin is it?

That's what I figured. Plus the shipment was late and the bag best so there was only like 1/8th of a bag of water left in its bag when I got it. I've had other Inverts die shortly after adding but they were lethargic and seemed dead. This thing is roaming like crazy.

It was sold to me as a white pincushion urchin from WWC

 

[vetteguy53081]

In many cases, it is due to stress from environmental changes, acclimation shock, lack of food and high nitrate levels (above 10ppm) are some of the biggest causes for tuxedo urchins not surviving. Once they start dropping spines, they are also prone to bacterial infections, from which it is hard to recover. Urchins are very sensitive to changes in water parameters. It has been said that longer acclimation times are needed but a lot of reefers have been successful in acclimating urchins for the same amount of time as other invertebrates. BUT, they have ensured to match the salinity of the water and slowly allowing them to acclimate to the new aquarium’s temperature.
Be careful of stirring up the sand in your tank as disturbing it could cause a poor water quality due to detritus etc. entering the water column. Also, if doing water changes, make sure water is added slowly, over a few days, and not just dumped in. This will ensure that the sand bed isn’t disturbed.
I will add that my pin cushion lost a few several months ago and some are coming back

 

[blaxsun]

Rubberband some seaweed to a flat rock for him as a treat!

 

[Goaway]

Let's hope he doesn't get an infection. Hopefully wwc has a warrenty.

 

[Glass Algae]

In many cases, it is due to stress from environmental changes, acclimation shock, lack of food and high nitrate levels (above 10ppm) are some of the biggest causes for tuxedo urchins not surviving. Once they start dropping spines, they are also prone to bacterial infections, from which it is hard to recover. Urchins are very sensitive to changes in water parameters. It has been said that longer acclimation times are needed but a lot of reefers have been successful in acclimating urchins for the same amount of time as other invertebrates. BUT, they have ensured to match the salinity of the water and slowly allowing them to acclimate to the new aquarium’s temperature.
Be careful of stirring up the sand in your tank as disturbing it could cause a poor water quality due to detritus etc. entering the water column. Also, if doing water changes, make sure water is added slowly, over a few days, and not just dumped in. This will ensure that the sand bed isn’t disturbed.
I will add that my pin cushion lost a few several months ago and some are coming back

It was difficult to even check the params of its shipping water as the bag seemed to have leaked during transport and he was left with barely anything in there when I got him. I floated him for 15 and just dumped him in I didn't really know what else to do wasn't even enough water to semi cover him in my smallest Tupperware.

It's still roaming like crazy currently spinning one of my frags in its rack cleaning the plug.

Also with water changes I usually dump into the back wall of the sump so I don't kick up anything.

I'm scheduled for a water change tomorrow should I only do like a 15 percent instead of a 25 like I planned? Also does that mean vaccuming the sand bed is a no go right now?

Thanks Vetteguy appreciate your input and advice!

 

[Glass Algae]

Let's hope he doesn't get an infection. Hopefully wwc has a warrenty.

They have a 10 day coral warranty but only an hiur after arrival invert warranty. I couldn't read the paperwork it came with as it was soaked and stuck together with all the other promo crap they sent lol.

Well just keep an eye on him and I'll update as things happen.

Gonna try and not get up every 3 secs to look at it like a nervous Nelly and give it some time to explore and settle in. If the tank is covered in spines tomorrow we'll see about taking it out. If it's still active I'll let it rock till it does get lethargic or starts to look ill

 

[G Santana]

I have one now roughly 4.5 months, it was doing really well until I got the GHA in check and then with limited algae to snack on he dropped a ton of spines while I was on vacation. I started supplementing him with nori and I now see little spines growing on his back.
Hopefully with a little TLC and nori he'll bounce back!!!

 

[blaxsun]

I had a green urchin that we nicknamed “Godzilla”. Every time we added seaweed to the tank he’d scurry across from wherever he was to snack on it. He was also inherently lazy, so often times he’d perch on a rock close to the seaweed, extend a spine and haul the seaweed (still attached to a rock) up to snack away!

 

[Glass Algae]

I have one now roughly 4.5 months, it was doing really well until I got the GHA in check and then with limited algae to snack on he dropped a ton of spines while I was on vacation. I started supplementing him with nori and I now see little spines growing on his back.
Hopefully with a little TLC and nori he'll bounce back!!!

I have tons of gha so once it's done working on that I'll rehome it and look for a smaller one cause this one is HUGE haha wasn't expecting it to be this size when they said two inches around more like two inches across haha.

Hoping it's still doing just as well tomorrow and I'll be doing a water change as I'm due for one anyway. Fingers crossed it takes it well

 

[vetteguy53081]

It was difficult to even check the params of its shipping water as the bag seemed to have leaked during transport and he was left with barely anything in there when I got him. I floated him for 15 and just dumped him in I didn't really know what else to do wasn't even enough water to semi cover him in my smallest Tupperware.

It's still roaming like crazy currently spinning one of my frags in its rack cleaning the plug.

Also with water changes I usually dump into the back wall of the sump so I don't kick up anything.

I'm scheduled for a water change tomorrow should I only do like a 15 percent instead of a 25 like I planned? Also does that mean vaccuming the sand bed is a no go right now?

Thanks Vetteguy appreciate your input and advice!

You can vacuum sand- just dont agitate it. If you planned 25%- go with it.

 

[Glass Algae]

You can vacuum sand- just dont agitate it. If you planned 25%- go with it.

Roger that and noted. I have Carib sea black arag so it's fairly chunky shouldn't be too hard to not agitate. Ty for all you're help vetteguy as usual!!

 

[Glass Algae]

Seems to have survived the night. It's found a nice little hidden crevice and is chilling there tentacles down on the glass. I know they are more nocturnal so I'll just keep an eye on it.

Also didn't notice more spines in the sand seems that initial dump was the worst of it from what I could tell.