Help!!!

[SaltyShel]

Someone please help!!!
I have a pincushion urchin who’s been dropping spines… I thought it was shedding… I have really high nitrates and low ish salinity 1.021 ish and Ive been trying to bring up slow due to being told urchins are sensitive and the last water change I did is when he started dropping. I have cyano too.
I got home about an hour or two ago and he was UPSIDE DOWN!! So I flipped him over the right way but like on his side where I can see if he’s eating. He’s moving but not a lot. He ate I think but idk how much. I have a 10g tank with NEW live rock and just added new saltwater at salinity of about 1.023-1.024 and I can always add RO DI to make it match my tanks water

HERE IS MY MAIN QUESTION:
can I just match the temp and salinity from my current tank to my 10g and just move him and my fish over??? Or do I have to acclimate for the nitrates??? Please help I’m so worried and idk what to do… do I need to acclimate from HIGH nitrates to LOW as in 0 probably Nitrates?? Unless the LR created some but idk if it did obviously… any help is needed please..

 

[blaxsun]

I'd need to see an image of how it looks, but if it was upside down there's a good chance the urchin is past saving. I'm not saying it won't survive - just that it's unlikely.

At this point I'd bring the salinity up to at least 1.023 with a water change - and this may help reduce your nitrates as well.

 

[SaltyShel]

These are the worst pics ever but this is the best I can do. If I can get the salinity in my new tank to 1.023 and the heat to almost the same… can I just move him over? Do I need to acclimate for nitrates? That’s the only thing keeping him in this bad tank…do I need to acclimate nitrates?

also I thought this red crap was cyano, I was told cyano isn’t bad just unsightly… but it’s turned DARK red and my urchin constantly walks through it… he’s moving a few spines slightly but not much. When I tried to feed him he moved a little more than he is now, but hasn’t changed positision since I flipped him over and put him where he is now

 

[SaltyShel]

I'd need to see an image of how it looks, but if it was upside down there's a good chance the urchin is past saving. I'm not saying it won't survive - just that it's unlikely.

At this point I'd bring the salinity up to at least 1.023 with a water change - and this may help reduce your nitrates as well.

I forgot to hit “reply” but the message above this one I’m currently sending is the one I answered your post woth

 

[SaltyShel]

And to make matters worse, I have no idea if this stupid heater works and my holding tank is so cold compared to my tank that’s filled with all this toxic crap. Like it’s gonna take forever to heat this tank… I’m just so upset. Like his mouth isn’t moving anymore and idk. I just really don’t know at this point. I hate this little tank because it’s not stable and plus I got it already screwed up. But didn’t know what was happening since I have only had it like a month and a half

 

[blaxsun]

What are your water parameters in the old tank?

 

[SaltyShel]

What are your water parameters in the old tank?

Idk I haven’t checked the nitrates.. but it was at 80 somehow and then I did a big water change, which is when he started dropping spines. Let me check it real fast. Idk if this heater works but it was set at 83 or 84 when I got it from my dad (obviously too high) so I brought it down to like 80. No thermometer except a human one. Salinity is 1.021 and I’ll test nitrates and ammonia right now

 

[outhouse]

can I just move him over?

No, not in a new tank.

Your best bet is a huge water change, more the better. getting new water in there is more important then tamp or salinity. set 1.025 and get new water in that tank

I think the above poster was correct, saving him might be to late, but you need to try. I hope you get lucky

 

[vetteguy53081]

Its due to stress. Minimum salinity 1.024-1.025. Did you acclimatte it? How and How long ?
Likely from Osmotic Shock which occurs from a decrease in salinity. Additionally, they are very sensitive to nitrates and phosphates. Assure they are not elevated. Once salinity and water is corrected, new spines will regrow,
Not too late- these guys are very resilient. I have two myself

 

[outhouse]

but it was at 80 somehow and then I did a big water change, which is when he started dropping spines.

With nitrates that high he was probably already sick, I keep my tank in the mid seventies

 

[SaltyShel]

No, not in a new tank.

Your best bet is a huge water change, more the better. getting new water in there is more important then tamp or salinity. set 1.025 and get new water in that tank

I think the above poster was correct, saving him might be to late, but you need to try. I hope you get lucky

So do a water change instead of moving over? Okay I can do that …. But what about this dark red slime stuff??? He kept walking in it. Here’s a pic…

 

[SaltyShel]

With nitrates that high he was probably already sick, I keep my tank in the mid seventies

Mid 70s?? Nitrates or temp??

 

[outhouse]

thats cyano bacteria get some clean for that but dose lightly, then do water changes again

 

[SaltyShel]

Its due to stress. Minimum salinity 1.024-1.025. Did you acclimatte it? How and How long ?
Likely from Osmotic Shock which occurs from a decrease in salinity. Additionally, they are very sensitive to nitrates and phosphates. Assure they are not elevated. Once salinity and water is corrected, new spines will regrow,
Not too late- these guys are very resilient. I have two myself

I never acclimated him. My dad got this tank from some lady… never replaced rock/sand/water, and just added fish, urchin, CUC. he gave it to me with salinity at 1.018 - 1.019 and the temp at 83-84 degrees Fahrenheit. I never acclimated tho like I’ve just been trying to maintain since I got it

 

[outhouse]

Mid 70s?? Nitrates or temp??

Nitrates made it sick, I keep my temp in mid 70/s

 

[SaltyShel]

thats cyano bacteria get some clean for that but dose lightly, then do water changes again

I was trying to actually restart the whole tank because that’s not the only issue I have. Like i have pests and aiptasia and there’s a huge hair looking thing coming out of the aiptasia. Like I was planning on moving livestock to 10g tank anyway to bleach out and condition and restart the current 16g where everything already is at. But this kinda put a hold on it

 

[outhouse]

nitrates not detectable in my tank

 

[SaltyShel]

Nitrates made it sick, I keep my temp in mid 70/s

Sorry I mean are you talking about your tank being in the mid 70s? Like I wasn’t understanding if you said you keep your tank nitrates in the mid 70s

 

[SaltyShel]

nitrates not detectable in my tank

Oh okay I see. But with all the current issues this tank has, plus pump problems, shouldn’t I just move everything to the 10g so I can clean it??

 

[outhouse]

I was trying to actually restart the whole tank because that’s not the only issue I have. Like i have pests and aiptasia and there’s a huge hair looking thing coming out of the aiptasia. Like I was planning on moving livestock to 10g tank anyway to bleach out and condition and restart the current 16g where everything already is at. But this kinda put a hold on it

aptasia no big deal, many ways to get rid of them. They never bothered me at all.