Urchin Attacked?

[ghoztz]

I've had a pencil urchin for almost as long as I have had my tank. ( almost a year). Yesterday I noticed that a few of his spines were bent in really awkward, unnatural positions, but I wasn't really sure if he was just moving them around or if he was growing new ones.
This morning I found him dead, upside down (mouth up), and several of his spines looked as if they were broken at the base, but not entirely pulled off (you could see his white insides )
What could do this?
Fish:
2 Clowns
1 Firefish
1 Yellow Goby
1 orange nano goby
1 Fire shrimp
-- I also have some bristle worms that lurk under my rocks, but, I sorta doubt their ability to kill him from near the front of the tank.
Thanks

 

[theappe3]

Nothing of what you mentioned could have killed him...

 

[ghoztz]

What kinds of things could have done this? I suppose it is possible some hitchhikers are hiding in my tank..

 

[theappe3]

probably not... maybe it just died... old age? just because? sometimes it happens...
As long as other stuff doesnt start dying....

 

[ghoztz]

that's what I was hoping, maybe when I bought him he was already a few years old.

 

[nycbob]

old age or maybe water parameters.

 

[pettyhoe]

I think that urchins take a while to starve. Or possibly that you had a water quality swing which caused him too much stress. I don't believe he was attacked from your list of inhabitants.

 

[fishy125]

Had one for over three years, an urchins spines are a sure sign of water conditions. One night mine lost a few spines and with testing, sure enough it was my water. Hope this helps a little.