Sea Urchin Dying?

[SaltwaterNuB]

Today I notice that 1 of our urchins is looking a little down. His spikes are not standing up like normal and they are slowly falling off. What should I do? All of my perimeters are great. My ammonia is reading between 0-.25ppm.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Today I notice that 1 of our urchins is looking a little down. His spikes are not standing up like normal and they are slowly falling off. What should I do? All of my perimeters are great. My ammonia is reading between 0-.25ppm.

What are your nitrates reading? Has there been any change in salinity levels?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Today I notice that 1 of our urchins is looking a little down. His spikes are not standing up like normal and they are slowly falling off. What should I do? All of my perimeters are great. My ammonia is reading between 0-.25ppm.

I would test your nitrites, nitrates, and pH. I don't have a sea urchin but I know a few people who do and when they start to lose their spines rapidly its not been a good thing.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Thx, I just tested parameters and all are great. But my salinity dropped. Now it's 1.021. Its usually 1.023. Starting to bring the salinity up. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Thx, I just tested parameters and all are great. But my salinity dropped. Now it's 1.021. Its usually 1.023. Starting to bring the salinity up. Keep your fingers crossed.

How long have you had it?

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

About 2.5 months.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

About 2.5 months.

Hmmm...I wonder if it would do better if you raised the salinity to .024 or .025? Has it been eating well? I know they will drop a spine here and there on occassion.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Increase your water changes to 2 times a week, or make sure your water quality improves. My long spine lost literally all it's spines, I got more belligerent about water changes, and he grew them all back!

Here's a before and after, the first pic he has about 10% of his spines:



Now:




Urchins lose theirs spines from stress (usually induced by poor water quality)

Hope it gets better!

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Wow, that's crazy. Well I will keep an eye on him. My other one looks good. I'm starting to bring salinity back up. Is it true that if they die its extremely bad for the tank?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Wow, that's crazy. Well I will keep an eye on him. My other one looks good. I'm starting to bring salinity back up. Is it true that if they die its extremely bad for the tank?

That I'm not sure of.. I asked the same thing when mine was looking pretty bad but never got an answer...

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I've raised my salinity back to 1.023. The urchin seams to be moving around in the rank just fine. His spines aren't standing like normal. Hopefully he's just adjusting now.