Collector Urchin Explosion

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013.

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  1. sandiebrown65

    sandiebrown65 Astrea Snail

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    Hi All,

    Well a few weeks ago I went out to find a collector urchin to add to my tank. Unfortunately I was unsuccessful, however I did manage to find a nice piece of live rock covered in zoas and such. So I bought the live rock and placed it into my tank.
    Over the following week I enjoyed watching the different "things" appear on this new live rock. Then one morning I found a tiny little collector urchin wandering around near the new live rock.
    How fortunate I felt that I had scored a freebie AND just what I actually went out to buy!!

    At last count I have 6 little collector urchins and now I am starting to panic! Should I re-home some or will their population adjust according to the food availability in the tank?

    I found this little ambitious guy this morning climbing the glass with an empty hermit crab shell on its head!

    Collector Urchin.jpg
     
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    #1

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  2. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    r u sure its a baby urchin? kinda looks like a anemone to me??
     
    cosmo, Apr 5, 2013
    cosmo, Apr 5, 2013
    #2
  3. Kevin_E

    Kevin_E Giant Squid

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    Kevin_E, Apr 5, 2013
    Kevin_E, Apr 5, 2013
    #3
    1 person likes this.
  4. Kevin_E

    Kevin_E Giant Squid

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    Kevin_E, Apr 5, 2013
    Kevin_E, Apr 5, 2013
    #4
  5. sandiebrown65

    sandiebrown65 Astrea Snail

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    Better Photo

    Pretty sure they are collectors. They always have stuff attached to their top.

    I can see why you think it is a hydroid, but it is a bad photo showing its pedicellariae that they use to manoeuvre stuff and hold it on themselves. Here is a better photo of another one. They are round bodies and spiky/fuzzy with segments around their body.

    If they are hydroids, are they bad?

    Urchin.JPG
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2013
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    #5
  6. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    Sorry, but i think fsukum nailed this.
     
    cosmo, Apr 5, 2013
    cosmo, Apr 5, 2013
    #6

    7. Click Here!

  7. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    yeah thats a blue tuxedo urchin or that family of them and you are correct, however the other pics look more like a hitchhiker,
    i hope I'm wrong!
     
    cosmo, Apr 5, 2013
    cosmo, Apr 5, 2013
    #7
  8. sandiebrown65

    sandiebrown65 Astrea Snail

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    So, if I have at least 6 of these guys running around in my tank, should I re-home some? If the first photo is a hydroid, can they carry stuff around too? This one has a hermit crab shell attached to it and it has now been carrying it around the tank for two days.
    Are hydroids bad?
     
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    #8
  9. Kevin_E

    Kevin_E Giant Squid

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    If they're hydroids, they'll disappear shortly. That last pic you sent is not a hydroid, definitely an urchin.
     
    Kevin_E, Apr 5, 2013
    Kevin_E, Apr 5, 2013
    #9
  10. sandiebrown65

    sandiebrown65 Astrea Snail

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    Thanks guys :)

    I hope no more appear.........
     
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    sandiebrown65, Apr 5, 2013
    #10