Blue tuxedo urchin

custom58hd · 05/13/2013, 06:16 PM

we just added our first urchin, a Blue tuxedo urchin, to our tank. The next morning we noticed our Halloween hermit on the urchin "cleaning" it. Well it now appears the hermit was eating, or removing, the urchin's spines. The urchin appears to be bare on 2/3's of his body.
My questions are: Is the urchin doomed or will the spines grow back? Is this common? should I separate the 2? will my other smaller hermits attack the urchin?
Thanks for your answers!

EllieSuz · 05/13/2013, 06:24 PM

This is sort of a mystery to me. I've had a Tuxedo Urchin for years and the Scarlet Legged Hermits ignore it. I don't know why a Halloween Hermit would be any different. I think I'd be tempted to remove the hermit and see if the urchin recovers. Watch it carefully, however. I've heard that they can foul a tank if they die unnoticed.

mandarin_goby · 05/13/2013, 06:36 PM

Maybe the urchin was already stressed and the hermits sensed it? The stress may have already loosened his spines...maybe stick some empty shells on him for protection (they like doing that anyways). Sorry to hear it, hope he recovers! We just got one yesterday and the hermits are nowhere near it.

dthorn · 05/13/2013, 06:45 PM

I lost a blue tuxedo in my 27g without any fouling issues. May be cause I run carbon or the fact that cuc reduced it to an empty shell before the lights came back on.

tatuaje08 · 05/13/2013, 09:43 PM

Urchins will lose spines due to stress. They will, in most cases, grow back and the urchin will be fine.

zachfishman · 05/14/2013, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tatuaje08

Urchins will lose spines due to stress. They will, in most cases, grow back and the urchin will be fine.

+1 Be sure to take extra care acclimating inverts.

custom58hd · 11/22/2014, 10:40 AM

I have had the urchin a year and half now and the halloween that was attacking him has been removed from the system. He stripped him half clean twice, both times the urchin recovered and has been doing well since. I separated the hermit after the second time, put him in a holding tank to return him to the LFS

05/13/2013, 06:16 PM	#1
custom58hd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: So. NH Posts: 30	Blue tuxedo urchin we just added our first urchin, a Blue tuxedo urchin, to our tank. The next morning we noticed our Halloween hermit on the urchin "cleaning" it. Well it now appears the hermit was eating, or removing, the urchin's spines. The urchin appears to be bare on 2/3's of his body. My questions are: Is the urchin doomed or will the spines grow back? Is this common? should I separate the 2? will my other smaller hermits attack the urchin? Thanks for your answers!

05/13/2013, 06:24 PM	#2
EllieSuz Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,858	This is sort of a mystery to me. I've had a Tuxedo Urchin for years and the Scarlet Legged Hermits ignore it. I don't know why a Halloween Hermit would be any different. I think I'd be tempted to remove the hermit and see if the urchin recovers. Watch it carefully, however. I've heard that they can foul a tank if they die unnoticed. __________________ "You can't learn this hobby one question at a time." (Mr. Tuskfish) Eileen Current Tank Info: I'm out of the hobby, but used to have a60 gal. reef, refugium in sump, Internal Mag 9 return, SC 302 skimmer, two Maxi-Jet 1200's modded, four bulb T5 Lighting, Reefkeeper Lite Controller with three PC4's, Little Fishes GFO reactor.

05/13/2013, 06:36 PM	#3
mandarin_goby Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 844	Maybe the urchin was already stressed and the hermits sensed it? The stress may have already loosened his spines...maybe stick some empty shells on him for protection (they like doing that anyways). Sorry to hear it, hope he recovers! We just got one yesterday and the hermits are nowhere near it. __________________ 75 with Eshopps 100 sump, Reef Octopus 110 SSS skimmer, Sicce 3.0 pump, Maxspect Gyre 130, 2 x Kessil a360W, mangroves plus clip-on bulb in sump 75 FW planted with CO2, 12 gallon cherry shrimp tank

05/13/2013, 06:45 PM	#4
dthorn Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: erie pa Posts: 280	I lost a blue tuxedo in my 27g without any fouling issues. May be cause I run carbon or the fact that cuc reduced it to an empty shell before the lights came back on.

05/13/2013, 09:43 PM	#5
tatuaje08 Registered Member. Join Date: May 2013 Location: tempe, az Posts: 867	Urchins will lose spines due to stress. They will, in most cases, grow back and the urchin will be fine.

11/22/2014, 10:40 AM	#7
custom58hd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: So. NH Posts: 30	I have had the urchin a year and half now and the halloween that was attacking him has been removed from the system. He stripped him half clean twice, both times the urchin recovered and has been doing well since. I separated the hermit after the second time, put him in a holding tank to return him to the LFS