Help save my sea urchin!!!!!!!

Keith A · 08/03/2008, 04:15 PM

We went on vacation for a week. When we got back I noticed that my sea urchin had lost a lot of its spines. The temperature in the tank was higher than normal (above 86 degrees) but I'm not sure how long it has been that high. I've had the urchin for nearly 7 years now. It's a regular rock boring sea urchin, not a long spine or pencil urchin. Is it near the end of its life expectancy or was the temp too high for it, combination of the two or is this something to even worry about? If it is a problem what can I do?

greenbean36191 · 08/03/2008, 05:31 PM

I would say the answer is neither. Urchins are extremely long-lived and they will almost never die of old age in our tanks. Also, the temp isn't that high and certainly not enough to cause this. We need to know all of the rest of your parameters and anything that may have changed recently. Were there any big changes in salinity while you were gone?

tanker · 08/03/2008, 05:34 PM

I agree with "Greenbean". Do a large water change.

Keith A · 08/03/2008, 06:33 PM

Greenbean,
No real big jump in salinity for a while. I normally keep it around 1.024. It may vary from 1.01235-1.01245 but generally around 1.024. I have been battling a P04 problem with weekly 20% water changes for the past 2-3 months now. Nitrates=5-10 ppm, nitrites=0, ammonia=0, alk=8.4, calcium=420ppm. Just out of curiosity, is this a way that they may molt when growing like when a snake outgrows it's skin???

tanker · 08/03/2008, 06:37 PM

Urchins do not molt.

08/03/2008, 04:15 PM	#1
Keith A Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 253	Help save my sea urchin!!!!!!! We went on vacation for a week. When we got back I noticed that my sea urchin had lost a lot of its spines. The temperature in the tank was higher than normal (above 86 degrees) but I'm not sure how long it has been that high. I've had the urchin for nearly 7 years now. It's a regular rock boring sea urchin, not a long spine or pencil urchin. Is it near the end of its life expectancy or was the temp too high for it, combination of the two or is this something to even worry about? If it is a problem what can I do?

08/03/2008, 05:31 PM	#2
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	I would say the answer is neither. Urchins are extremely long-lived and they will almost never die of old age in our tanks. Also, the temp isn't that high and certainly not enough to cause this. We need to know all of the rest of your parameters and anything that may have changed recently. Were there any big changes in salinity while you were gone? __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

08/03/2008, 05:34 PM	#3
tanker Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: sf bay area Posts: 3,522	I agree with "Greenbean". Do a large water change.

08/03/2008, 06:33 PM	#4
Keith A Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 253	Greenbean, No real big jump in salinity for a while. I normally keep it around 1.024. It may vary from 1.01235-1.01245 but generally around 1.024. I have been battling a P04 problem with weekly 20% water changes for the past 2-3 months now. Nitrates=5-10 ppm, nitrites=0, ammonia=0, alk=8.4, calcium=420ppm. Just out of curiosity, is this a way that they may molt when growing like when a snake outgrows it's skin???

08/03/2008, 06:37 PM	#5
tanker Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: sf bay area Posts: 3,522	Urchins do not molt.