Spiny Urchin dropped on floor! PLEASE HELP FAST!!

[baron1282]

Guys, I am asking advice before I see any issues.

I dropped my poor guy on the ground. I was picking him up with a spatula trying to not break his spines and what did I do? I dropped him from about 3 feet high. He broke some of his spines, but what scared me is some slime coat was on the floor and some red stuff. I hope it was not blood. I got him picked up in the bucket and back into the water.

What should I look out for? I can't tell if he will be ok or not! I am worried, I like my spiny urchin and he is one of the reasons I am upgrading TODAY to a 120 gallon tank. Please help!

 

[melosu58]

A fall like that definitely could be trouble. No way to really know except to watch and see.

 

[herp_mommy]

I would quarantine him- not for illness, just in case he dies you won't have to fish him out from behind the rocks. I would be so upset. I've only held my urchin once, and unless something might harm me, I always handle with my hands. Gloves and utensils don't allow the tactile sense of knowing how hard to grip something. I would look out for behavior changes mainly. Make sure he's still active, still eating. If he starts to drop more spines in the next few days he's probably hurt. I don't think the red stuff was blood- our blood is red, but I don't think urchins have red "blood"

 

[baron1282]

I will watch him for sure! I am scared of handling him because of being spiked! How do you handle without being spiked? It's the LONG spine sea urchin. He still reacts to objects and points his spins at them. He is just sitting at the top of the bucket right now.

My tank is all set up and running. I am letting the water clear up a bit more so I can work with the rocks some more before I put my fish in.

 

[herp_mommy]

You only have to worry if the spines pierce your skin. He's not strong enough to attack you, he's more of a defense guy My urchin isn't long spine- I have no idea what species he is actually, he was a hitchhiker. But he'll point his spines towards my fingers too. Most of the time you can't really get an urchin in your hand unless he's in the sand bed and you can scoop him up. Don't try and pry him off of anything. They're best off being handled as little as possible. But if you need to- be very gentle. Mine flattens for defense when I've got him so I don't hang on to him long.

 

[baron1282]

Being he is in the bucket, should I just pick him up real fast by a spine? I don't really know how to get him out. LOL

I was just going to scope him up with a small bowl and put him in the tank that way. I think that is better. I should have done it that way before I dropped the poor guy. :-(

 

[herp_mommy]

No don't pick him up by a spine. You're more likely to just pull it out. I would put a bowl or something in the bucket with some food on it. Wait until he scoots on to the bowl and pick up the bowl.

 

[baron1282]

It's ok, I got him out of the bucket with the spatula and unto a bowl, without dropping him.

He is now in the 120 gallon tank. I am a little worried my flow is too much, I might have to cut back on some of it. The one pump is very powerful.

 

[baron1282]

Update

He is moving around my tank fine, He had a ton of white spines but today they are black again. He looks like he has all his color back.

The only issue I am still worried about is his eye (anus). It just looks deflated and not blown up like it use to be. So I am hoping he will heal!

I like my Long Spine Urchin, I got him when he was really tiny! His longest spine is about 9 in long now. He is about 1 1/2 thick. I am praying he is ok! He was not even an inch thick when I got him and his spines were about maybe 4in long. :-(