What do you make of these little piles of pellets on one of my rocks?

BrettDS · 07/07/2016, 09:16 AM

So one of my rocks has several small piles of these little pellets in some of its crevices and I have no idea what they area. They aren't the same size or shape as the sand grains and they are loose and blow around in the current a little. The largest are maybe 1 to 1.5 mm long. There are one or two other similar piles in rocks directly under this one, where I think they have blown off of this rock, but I don't see any other piles in the rest of the tank.

There's nothing that really lives on top of that rock, but my snails and urchins go up there at times. Is it possibly snail or urchin poop? Although if that was the case I would expect to see it everywhere since the snails and urchins go everywhere.

The piles are on the top of the balanced rock in the top middle of this picture. Any ideas?

lespaul339 · 07/07/2016, 09:20 AM

Are they eggs of some sort? I'm not sure what those are.

csb123 · 07/07/2016, 10:15 AM

Looks like urchin poop to me;p

Nina51 · 07/07/2016, 10:24 AM

in my experience, when an urchin poops, it looks like grains of sand dispersing in the current. doesn't look anything like what is in the photo.

Ebone · 07/07/2016, 10:42 AM

Looks like snail poop to me....

Animagus · 07/07/2016, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csb123

Looks like urchin poop to me;p

+1

I'm not sure what kind of Sea Urchin the OP has, but these turds look a little bigger than a grain of sand IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuP6V6uHtTY

Kengar · 07/07/2016, 11:23 AM

looks to me like 'squatches are visiting your tank.....

BrettDS · 07/07/2016, 12:26 PM

That video is awfully blurry, but I do indeed have an urchin that looks to be about that same shape and color. Guess urchin poop is what it is.

jd371 · 07/07/2016, 12:31 PM

Something in your tank is hoarding Tic-Tacs.

lokmar · 07/07/2016, 12:46 PM

Weird, my urchin poops tiny round pellets that are tan in color. Those almost look like mouse poop.

Nina51 · 07/07/2016, 04:07 PM

well, that's a new one on me! i've had lots of urchins over the years and have never seen poop like that.

heathlindner25 · 07/07/2016, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nina51

well, that's a new one on me! i've had lots of urchins over the years and have never seen poop like that.

+1 on that..lol I have had many urchins in my history, and have never seen pellets like that.
Looks like something dropped eggs to me...?
When in doubt ,suck them out.

07/07/2016, 09:16 AM	#1
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	What do you make of these little piles of pellets on one of my rocks? So one of my rocks has several small piles of these little pellets in some of its crevices and I have no idea what they area. They aren't the same size or shape as the sand grains and they are loose and blow around in the current a little. The largest are maybe 1 to 1.5 mm long. There are one or two other similar piles in rocks directly under this one, where I think they have blown off of this rock, but I don't see any other piles in the rest of the tank. There's nothing that really lives on top of that rock, but my snails and urchins go up there at times. Is it possibly snail or urchin poop? Although if that was the case I would expect to see it everywhere since the snails and urchins go everywhere. The piles are on the top of the balanced rock in the top middle of this picture. Any ideas?

07/07/2016, 09:20 AM	#2
lespaul339 Reefer Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 903	Are they eggs of some sort? I'm not sure what those are. __________________ Reefer Madness! Current Tank Info: 60x24x24 150 gallon reef, 55 gallon sump.

07/07/2016, 10:24 AM	#4
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	in my experience, when an urchin poops, it looks like grains of sand dispersing in the current. doesn't look anything like what is in the photo. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

07/07/2016, 11:23 AM	#7
Kengar Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Gaithersburg, MD (D.C. Metro Area) Posts: 1,970	looks to me like 'squatches are visiting your tank..... __________________ Resident Patent Attorney

07/07/2016, 04:07 PM	#11
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	well, that's a new one on me! i've had lots of urchins over the years and have never seen poop like that. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

07/07/2016, 10:15 AM	#3
csb123 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: minnesota Posts: 104	Looks like urchin poop to me;p

07/07/2016, 10:42 AM	#5
Ebone Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: wilmington nc Posts: 217	Looks like snail poop to me....

07/07/2016, 12:26 PM	#8
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	That video is awfully blurry, but I do indeed have an urchin that looks to be about that same shape and color. Guess urchin poop is what it is.

07/07/2016, 12:31 PM	#9
jd371 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Long Island Posts: 615	Something in your tank is hoarding Tic-Tacs.

07/07/2016, 12:46 PM	#10
lokmar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Springfield, Il Posts: 95	Weird, my urchin poops tiny round pellets that are tan in color. Those almost look like mouse poop.