Urchin losing spines...

[fretfreak13]

Does that mean its dying? I had it in my 29, it was irratating my corals, and so I moved it to my five gallon. I was told not to put it in my sump cause it would eat my cheato. So, it's been in the five gallon for about three weeks and has been totally fine, however the five gallon had only 1 small peaice of LR in it. I fianally went out of buy some more, but it about five or six peices along with a heater. The tank at the time had no heater and the water was really REALLY cold, like 65-70 degrees. Cold for an invert, I would assume. Anyways, I put the heater in yesterday, he was moving about, and then settled down on a peice of rock. He looked a little droopy when I got home today, and I just noticed a spine fell off and is sitting on the rock below him. Can I save him? I'm willing to risk my cheato for it's life, but if it's unsavable and dies wil it cause an ammonia spike in my main tank?
5 gallon parameters:
Amm. 0
Trites. 0
Trates. 15
Temp. 78-80

 

[meowzer]

I believe losing spines means malnutrition...I know I read that somewhere.....what type of urchin is it? I have a pencil urchin in my fuge....it does not eat the chaeto....
It's ib the fuge cause it eats corals...LOL....so it has been banished....

 

[fretfreak13]

Im not exactly sure what kind of urchin it is. It looks like the purple urchin you posted in another thread earlier today, but instead it's black. It has a lighter, red center and looks like it glows red form the inside (pretty demonic looking bugger, I think he's really cool)
What do you feed urchins? Will they eat nori? I'll go out and buy him some tomorrow if I have to, I didn't realize how much I loved this little guy until I noticed he was looking funny. I guess I was just mad at him for bothering my coral. %%

 

[meowzer]

LOL...You can try algae sheets...IDK...I have never tried to feed mine

 

[fretfreak13]

There's really no algea on the glass in my fuge. = I hope someone else chimes in about the sheets, I hope he's ok. Can I move him with his spines loose like that? Will he be ok if he loses more?

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3182715
There's really no algea on the glass in my fuge. = I hope someone else chimes in about the sheets, I hope he's ok. Can I move him with his spines loose like that? Will he be ok if he loses more?
Do you have live rock and stuff in the fuge....Mine is rarely on the glass...usually on the rock or sand...sometimes glass...LOL

 

[fretfreak13]

Not so much in the fuge as in the DT. I'll move a piece of that rock over tomorrow. the one getting HA. lol

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3182735
Not so much in the fuge as in the DT. I'll move a piece of that rock over tomorrow. the one getting HA. lol
LOL...how about sand? I have an 1" sand bed...some LR, chaeto...KENYA HAHAHA

 

[nuro]

the lol count on this thread is off the charts

 

[fretfreak13]

...lawl. xD
I threw some cheato in the five gallon and it has been reduced to a pile of gray nast. lol I hope he'll be alright, I'll keep throwing some in there until someone in my club takes him. =)

 

[indy2009]

What were you thinking putting a urchin with corals? Did you not do your research? They are grazers and will eat anything in its path..I don't have corals FOWLR and have about 10 urchins in my tank and I knew better, one of my pencil urchins,(soft ball size) killed and ate 2 of my small anemones that split..if you want to try and save it purchase some Phytoplankton blend off ----, or your LFS, otherwise will not survive.

 

[desertdawg]

Just put a small piece of algae sheet on the sand and set your urchin on it. green algea is good but nori is better.
When I hang a piece of nori for my tang if one of the urchins is close they head straight for it!
Urchins also love coraline, they will strip it off of everything.

 

[ophiura]

What is your specific gravity, pH and alkalinity? These are the factors they are highly sensitive to (the temp didn't help) and which are very difficult to control in such a small tank.
Even topping off in such a small tank can cause a significant and highly stressful incident. It is imperative to top off every day - if not several times a day.