Dead Urchin - What went wrong?

[aswa1111]

Hey everyone,

Just like the thread title says, unfortunately, I lost my blue tuxedo urchin today. I would like to have a better understanding of why it has happened. I also like to know if there is anything I should do differently in the future if I want to keep another one. My tank is quite new, so I try to give as many details as I can. He was added to the tank when I had a diatom bloom and some green algae in the tank. Plenty of food for him.

Day 1 - Drip acclimated and added to the tank. Very active, wandering around the tank.
Day 2 - Still active but noticed when it moves across the glass, actually doesn't eat any of the algae just moves around.
Day 3 to 6 - Won't move, stays in the same spot. The spines are still intact, when I touch it the tube feets follow my finger.
Day 7 - After talking with the LFS, I decided to take him out and check. After checking it, it becomes very active again.
Day 8 - Less active but moves around.
Day 9 - I noticed the water became cloudy in the late afternoon, clearly a bacteria bloom. I did a stock count and everyone was still alive but didn't check the urchin as I saw him moving earlier that day.
Day 10 - Early morning I noticed my urchin was looking weird, all the spines were pointing down. I picked it up and the spines started to fall out. Checked his mouth and confirmed he is dead.

Water parameters on Day 1: Saline level 1.025sg, temperature 26C (78F), PH 8.2, NH3 - 0ppm, NO2 - 0ppm, NO3 - 5ppm.
Water parameters were checked every other day because the tank is quite new. We had a hot week in the UK and I couldn't keep the temp below 28C (82F) for days. PH at one time hit 8.4
Water parameters on Day 10: Saline level 1.026sg, temperature 28.5C (83F), PH 8.0, NH3 - 0ppm, NO2 - 0ppm, NO3 - 0ppm.

About the tank:

-90gal fish only, running for 6 weeks in total, cycled in 3 weeks. Fishless cycle, at the end of the cycle it was able to process 4ppm NH3 in 24hrs. After the cycle, I did a 75% WC and since that, I do a weekly 15% WC.
-Canister filter, 60ppi sponge filter, 6Kg (13lbs) of filter media (biohome), filter floss and I also started to use activated carbon in the last 2 days
-HOB protein skimmer
-40Kg (88lbs) crushed coral sand bed (course)
-18Kg (40lbs) dry rock
-60Watt / 8400 Lumen LED light bar
-8000LPH wave maker

Water was made by the LFS, they use RO water with 0ppm TDS and the saline level is always 1.025sg.

The tank was rapidly stocked since cycled (last 3 weeks), water parameters were checked daily and never had a second mini cycle only a moderate diatom bloom. But that already seems to be settled now.

Current stock list:

-2 Common clownfish
-1 Firefish goby
-1 Blue cheek goby
-1 Coral beauty dwarf angelfish
-1 Lawnmower blenny
-1 Purple tang
-1 Brown sailfin tang
-4 Red leg hermit crabs
-9 Banded trochus snail
-1 Pacific cleaner shrimp
-1 Fire shrimp
-1 Peppermint shrimp
-1 Blue tuxedo urchin (now dead)

What went wrong? Starved to death? I had plenty of diatoms and some green algae in the tank. High water temps made him stressed? I already ordered a chiller to stabilize the temperatures during heat waves.

 

[Stephen8169301]

Honestly you may of done nothing wrong sometimes these just randomly die unfortunately… what was the highest your tank went in temp?

 

[aswa1111]

Honestly you may of done nothing wrong sometimes these just randomly die unfortunately… what was the highest your tank went in temp?

I never see it above 28.5C (83F). I don't know how sensitive urchins are to water temperature changes. I didn't find much information.

 

[Stephen8169301]

I never see it above 28.5C (83F). I don't know how sensitive urchins are to water temperature changes. I didn't find much information.

I’m sure it wasn’t temp related… I think it was just an unfortunate event sorry to hear about this

Just like emeralds mine just died randomly no reason just happens

Hopefully someone with the same experience you had can confirm this

But like I said I’m sure you did nothing to cause this

 

[littlefoxx]

Hey everyone,

Just like the thread title says, unfortunately, I lost my blue tuxedo urchin today. I would like to have a better understanding of why it has happened. I also like to know if there is anything I should do differently in the future if I want to keep another one. My tank is quite new, so I try to give as many details as I can. He was added to the tank when I had a diatom bloom and some green algae in the tank. Plenty of food for him.

Day 1 - Drip acclimated and added to the tank. Very active, wandering around the tank.
Day 2 - Still active but noticed when it moves across the glass, actually doesn't eat any of the algae just moves around.
Day 3 to 6 - Won't move, stays in the same spot. The spines are still intact, when I touch it the tube feets follow my finger.
Day 7 - After talking with the LFS, I decided to take him out and check. After checking it, it becomes very active again.
Day 8 - Less active but moves around.
Day 9 - I noticed the water became cloudy in the late afternoon, clearly a bacteria bloom. I did a stock count and everyone was still alive but didn't check the urchin as I saw him moving earlier that day.
Day 10 - Early morning I noticed my urchin was looking weird, all the spines were pointing down. I picked it up and the spines started to fall out. Checked his mouth and confirmed he is dead.

Water parameters on Day 1: Saline level 1.025sg, temperature 26C (78F), PH 8.2, NH3 - 0ppm, NO2 - 0ppm, NO3 - 5ppm.
Water parameters were checked every other day because the tank is quite new. We had a hot week in the UK and I couldn't keep the temp below 28C (82F) for days. PH at one time hit 8.4
Water parameters on Day 10: Saline level 1.026sg, temperature 28.5C (83F), PH 8.0, NH3 - 0ppm, NO2 - 0ppm, NO3 - 0ppm.

About the tank:

-90gal fish only, running for 6 weeks in total, cycled in 3 weeks. Fishless cycle, at the end of the cycle it was able to process 4ppm NH3 in 24hrs. After the cycle, I did a 75% WC and since that, I do a weekly 15% WC.
-Canister filter, 60ppi sponge filter, 6Kg (13lbs) of filter media (biohome), filter floss and I also started to use activated carbon in the last 2 days
-HOB protein skimmer
-40Kg (88lbs) crushed coral sand bed (course)
-18Kg (40lbs) dry rock
-60Watt / 8400 Lumen LED light bar
-8000LPH wave maker

Water was made by the LFS, they use RO water with 0ppm TDS and the saline level is always 1.025sg.

The tank was rapidly stocked since cycled (last 3 weeks), water parameters were checked daily and never had a second mini cycle only a moderate diatom bloom. But that already seems to be settled now.

Current stock list:

-2 Common clownfish
-1 Firefish goby
-1 Blue cheek goby
-1 Coral beauty dwarf angelfish
-1 Lawnmower blenny
-1 Purple tang
-1 Brown sailfin tang
-4 Red leg hermit crabs
-9 Banded trochus snail
-1 Pacific cleaner shrimp
-1 Fire shrimp
-1 Peppermint shrimp
-1 Blue tuxedo urchin (now dead)

What went wrong? Starved to death? I had plenty of diatoms and some green algae in the tank. High water temps made him stressed? I already ordered a chiller to stabilize the temperatures during heat waves.

Maybe it was too soon for the urchin and not enough food. Ive tried 3 different kinds or urchins in mine and cant seem to keep them either and water parameters were fine, so I feel that frustration.

 

[jda]

These are in the sensitive invertebrates category. I would avoid them, along with cucumbers, nudibranch, etc. until your tank is stable and established. It likely did not stave in a few days, but coralline and some other types of complex algae are a good idea for them to eat.

They also only live a few years, so if it was large already, then there is a slight chance that it was old... like more than 1.5 inches.

 

[aswa1111]

These are in the sensitive invertebrates category. I would avoid them, along with cucumbers, nudibranch, etc. until your tank is stable and established. It likely did not stave in a few days, but coralline and some other types of complex algae are a good idea for them to eat.

They also only live a few years, so if it was large already, then there is a slight chance that it was old... like more than 1.5 inches.

Yes, it was large, around 2.5 inches. Because this is my first tank I want to make sure it wasn't me who messed it up. What I don't understand is there was enough algae in the tank, and when he moved on the glass I never saw him eating it. Maybe you are right, it was old?! I quite like these little creatures so might give it a try again later when the tank is more mature.

Do you think is it too early to seed coralline algae in the tank? Or when is the right time to start?

 

[j.falk]

I read or heard somewhere that urchins aren't supposed to be exposed to air. I'm curious if anyone knows if there is any truth to that? @vetteguy53081

 

[jda]

It was probably you... and not... at the same time. Newer tanks are quite unstable places and we can only test for a few small things. Ecosystems matter. Try one again in 6 months, or so.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I have had many urchins over the years and not noticed an issue when exposed to air. However, maybe it shortens their life and we do not realize it.

I have had my pencil urchin for over 10 years or so. It has been in every tank and moved around, pulled out and moved regularly. I think it depends on the urchin.

My tuxedos rarely last more than a couple years or so. My varigated usually over 5 years. I have a black spine currently that hitchhiked on live rock and has gone from a few mm to quite large over the past 2 years.

They do need lots to eat, so a mature tank is best!

 

[aswa1111]

Thanks everyone for all the useful information. I will probably try to keep one later once the tank is more mature. Also about the coralline algae, idk how I missed it but actually, it is already all over in the tank. I probably missed it because I used Aquaforest dry rock, which is already painted pinkish.