urchin split? baby snails everywhere?

elguapo

elguapo

Member
Hey its been a long time since I've posted my tank has been rocking 10 months now clean and sober. I'm refering to the nasty ich attack I had that took down all my fish except a horrid little blue damsel that has lived through everything. Anyways my question is has anybody had urchins multiply in their tanks specifically the Purple Urchin sold on this web site? I bought one around 9 months ago in the "Urchin Combo". About 3 months ago a much smaller guy showed up with a body about the size of a very small marble....its not a hitchhiker since I havn't added any live rock in about 18 months. Also is it common to have Margarita snails multiply as well? I have Margaritas, Ceriths, and Turbos but it looks like the Margaritas that are little guys all over. Just looking for a couple minutes casually I counted 30 the size of a couple grains of rice. Anyways all my livestock is doing fine and I think its a good sign 2 different inverts are making babies .....somehow....anyways let me know if this kinda stuff has happened to you as well.
guapo
 
wareagle

wareagle

Member
I also have an over population of snails. Counted about 30 the other day just on the glass. Not sure what caused the sudden urge for the snails to repopulate the tank.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
It is still possible it was a hitch hiker. Urchins do not reproduce by splitting, so not only do you need two mature adults of the appropriate ---, but they often need some sort of "cue" from the environment that often they don't get in our tanks. After that, the rather delicate larvae must survive the pumps, etc... I lean toward hitch hiker
 
kindbuds2k

kindbuds2k

Member
when snails reproduce, they are born with shells? and the shells grow? If so how come u would need to have empty shells in the tank for them? Or does that only apply to hermits?
 
kdfrosty

kdfrosty

Active Member
Originally Posted by kindbuds2k
when snails reproduce, they are born with shells? and the shells grow? If so how come u would need to have empty shells in the tank for them? Or does that only apply to hermits?
Snails are born with their shells, and the shells grow with them. Extra shells should be provided for hermits, or you may experience a hermit genocide. I've even seen hermits kill a snail for the shell.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Hermits are NOT born with shells and do not grow them. They use the shells from snails, left after the snail dies.
As far as urchin "cues"
well, that is often some sort of lighting, temperature, tidal, etc cue. Something environmental that we tend to lose in our systems. Certainly they do sometimes spawn, but to get everything working at the right time can be tricky. So in general, most one's that suddenly appear are more likely, IMO, to have been hitch hikers rather than have been an offspring. Not impossible, just playing some odds here
 
kdfrosty

kdfrosty

Active Member
A quote from anthony Calfo from a competitors site:
"Reproduction in hermit crabs is complex and rarely successful in aquaria... often involving the juveniles being carried inside the parent's shell upon their "backs" for some days before being released into a tank that likely has no shells of correct size for the tiny babies and, as such, they perish in hours/days"
 
elguapo

elguapo

Member
i bought the live rock i have nearly 2 years ago i seriously doubt a hitchhiker is what happened unless their lavae stage lasts at least 12 months. also the reason hermits do not reproduce well is the need for snails to be reproducing at the same time. the small snail shells produced by the young snails give the hermits protection. therefore unless snails of the right size are around the hermits will die quickly. if you have hermits im sure you have seen one pulled out of its shell by a larger meaner hermit intent on taking its shell for a home. once removed from their shells they are very helpless. anyways my urchin mystery still seems unresolved but reproducing snails seems fairly common. either way im sure its a good sign for my tank.
el
 
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