Spiny Urchin ok?!

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by Desertdualsport, Aug 14, 2006.

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  1. Desertdualsport

    Desertdualsport Astrea Snail

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    Do Spiny urchins shed anything? Mine was in a corner all last night, and lost 3 or 4 spines, and now has only moved about 6 inches since this morning. This normal?? Thanx, Nick
     
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  3. Covey

    Covey Scooter Blennie

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  4. Desertdualsport

    Desertdualsport Astrea Snail

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    Yes, It is the black long spine urchin. it even says in there poor water quality will make it shed. This may have to do with my cloudy water that I can't fix. nitrite, nitrate, ph and ammonia are all good, but water cloudy with lights on.
     
  5. Covey

    Covey Scooter Blennie

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    What are the actual numbers?

    Sounds like a bacteria bloom or a precip event. Hopefully the urchin will make it thru it.
     
  6. rickzter

    rickzter Torch Coral

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    I've always read that urchins losing spines = bad most of the time. That thing is gonna eat your coralline. ;D They are super voracious herbivores and will eat any type of algae available.
     
  7. Reef Lover

    Reef Lover Sea Dragon

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    I agree with rickzter with losing it spines. On live aquaria it says
    As for the coralline, I'm starting to have coralline growing in layers on my glass and my urchin doesn't eat it. Maybe he's on a diet.
     
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  9. Covey

    Covey Scooter Blennie

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    I have 4 of the pincushion urchins and a mystery red urchin. Ounce for ounce the best cleaners of the reef. As far as coraline yet them have it. With a CR and 400W MH coraline borders on being a problem algae.:p

    If you can get past them knocking stuff over and running off with a frag or two their great.
     
  10. JustPhish

    JustPhish Peppermint Shrimp

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    3 or 4 spines sounds like they may have just broken off though the not moving is worrisome. If it starts losing the majority of it's spines then yes it's checking out.

    Some urchins will eat coralline yes, but this is a double edged sword because the flakes it knocks off the rock helps the algae spread as well.

    Good luck.
     
  11. Desertdualsport

    Desertdualsport Astrea Snail

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    I didn't check the numbers for 2 days after adding a 5" puffer, and a tang. The tang checked out this afternoon,
    ammonia 2.0
    nitrite .15
    Ph 8.0

    150 gallon, skimmer, 25 gal sump, lots of flow(forget what pump), 100lbs substrate, 70lbs LR

    2 niger triggers
    1 clown trigger
    1 (half dead) urchin
    1 blenny
    1 dogface puffer
    20 turbo snails
    15 hermits


    I did a 20-30% water change, and neutralized the ammonia and nitrite, and cut feedings to less than half. This tank is still in it's first cycle...the last two fish added was too much.(took forever to get the levels to rise at all, then too fast! What else should I do? I don't want to lose anything else! Ammonia dropped to 1.0 as of this evening. Thanx, Nick
     
  12. JustPhish

    JustPhish Peppermint Shrimp

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    Ammonia is still much too high. What are your nitrates? Also, puffers eat urchins as do some triggers.

    What else are you using to filter the water and what kind of skimmer are you using?

    HTH