Can my urchin be saved?

[kammycat2002]

My pincushion urchin has been showing signs of stress for about a week. I did a water change and I think I messed up the salinity and made it too low. He spawned and then stopped moving around the tank. His little grippers and spines would move, he would react when touched, he just would not move from his spot. Today, I saw that one of his spines had fallen off. I know that’s a bad sign so I did another water change today. Checked the parameters and salinity. All is well. He still has not moved from his spot. He still moves his spines and grippers and has not lost any more spines that I have noticed. Can he be saved or should I start funeral arrangements?

 

[tzabor10]

That is urchins for you. They move a lot sometimes and not at all other times

 

[Pistondog]

Only time i lost an urchin was to salinity error.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

My pincushion urchin has been showing signs of stress for about a week. I did a water change and I think I messed up the salinity and made it too low. He spawned and then stopped moving around the tank. His little grippers and spines would move, he would react when touched, he just would not move from his spot. Today, I saw that one of his spines had fallen off. I know that’s a bad sign so I did another water change today. Checked the parameters and salinity. All is well. He still has not moved from his spot. He still moves his spines and grippers and has not lost any more spines that I have noticed. Can he be saved or should I start funeral arrangements?

Just to make sure, does it have enough food available? The spines falling out are not a good sign, but - to my understanding - with good water quality and plenty of food, it should be able to recover just fine.

 

[kammycat2002]

Just to make sure, does it have enough food available? The spines falling out are not a good sign, but - to my understanding - with good water quality and plenty of food, it should be able to recover just fine.

I put him on top of an algae wafer the other day and he seems to have perked up!

 

[TeamAquaSD Verified Sponsor]

Magnesium plays a huuuuuge role in invert health.
If mag is too low or too high most times inverts will go into a hibernation where they will not move until the mag is adjusted.
If spines are not falling off it should be just fine but just incase try sticking some nori under it and hopefully it eats some of it.

 

[kammycat2002]

Magnesium plays a huuuuuge role in invert health.
If mag is too low or too high most times inverts will go into a hibernation where they will not move until the mag is adjusted.
If spines are not falling off it should be just fine but just incase try sticking some nori under it and hopefully it eats some of it.

I actually did put some nori under him a while ago and he’s all better :) wooo!!

 

[Dragen Fiend]

I actually did put some nori under him a while ago and he’s all better :) wooo!!

Good to hear! Looks like it has a good amount of spines left. As well as seeing its tentacles move is very good sign its healthy. It may just be grumpy and stressed from the changes. I've gone as low at 1.022 and never had an issue. Mine just doesn't tolerate high nitrates is all lol

 

[kammycat2002]

Let’s go goober