pencil urchin excreting milky substance??

[watergardenut]

I am a rookie at saltwater aquariums, but have been loving every minute of this challenge. I have a pencil urchin which this evening I noticed it excreting a milky white, almost smokelike substance from what I think is the topside (maybe it's the bottomside). It is still alive and moving around. What am I seeing? Does any body have any idea? Please advise. Thank you.

 

[michaeltx]

might be spwaning if its a smoke look that would be my guess. has it stopped doing this?
Welcome to the board
Mike

 

[watergardenut]

When I left the office, he (or she) was still doing it. It was enough that it was clouding up the tank though. It would come out of one side of the central area, then switch over to another opening on the opposite side, then switch over to another opening around this central area. Looked like there were about 6 or so holes around it's central area which you couldn't see untill the substance was coming out..?

 

[michaeltx]

sounds like a spawn do you have a skimmer on the tank?
Mike

 

[watergardenut]

Yes, we do.

 

[michaeltx]

good you will want to check the skimmer first thing in the morning because it will go crazy pulling all that out of the water.
Mike

 

[watergardenut]

thank you. I'm so happy to have persons to ask my dumb questions. I'm learning every day. Thank you again Sincerely, GG.

 

[michaeltx]

not a problem thats what we are here for.
if you have a way to run carbon I would run some activated carbon in the tank aswell to pull all of it out of there.
Mike