So my pencil urchin has given me the biggest headache since I got it a couple of months ago (this is month 3 and getting out of the uglies). It lost almost all its large spines to a combination of low algae/high nitrates right after cycling but now is very slowly growing them back (I posted about this issue a month ago).
Now I find it barely sticking to rocks with a few tentacles holding on and even falling and ending up on its back. Sometimes it does graze on diatoms and film algae on the glass and rocks but I get so worried about it falling that I have to move it to a new spot away from my dwarf blue leg hermit crabs. It flipped over again tonight and when I tried to help it up, a few tentacles fell off. I’m really regretting getting it and considering rehoming
Any advice or am I just worrying too much about its rock climbing behavior? I’m trying to reduce my phosphates with phosguard and will retest again in a couple of days; I hope to get some codium and gracilaria frags in the next couple of weeks to help reduce nutrients. I run a filter sock that I replace every 4 days along with a nano skimmer and 15% weekly water changes. My cleaner shrimp, snails, and hermits are doing just fine. If it helps, my calcium averages around 430-450 ppm based on my most recent Salifert test thanks to Reef Crystals. I also finished up Reef Flux to kill off bryopsis so I hope I didn’t nuke too much GHA!
![IMG_6041.jpeg IMG_6041.jpeg](https://www.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/3554/3554168-b54933ea6220dcf048631f32a3030280.jpg)
Now I find it barely sticking to rocks with a few tentacles holding on and even falling and ending up on its back. Sometimes it does graze on diatoms and film algae on the glass and rocks but I get so worried about it falling that I have to move it to a new spot away from my dwarf blue leg hermit crabs. It flipped over again tonight and when I tried to help it up, a few tentacles fell off. I’m really regretting getting it and considering rehoming
Any advice or am I just worrying too much about its rock climbing behavior? I’m trying to reduce my phosphates with phosguard and will retest again in a couple of days; I hope to get some codium and gracilaria frags in the next couple of weeks to help reduce nutrients. I run a filter sock that I replace every 4 days along with a nano skimmer and 15% weekly water changes. My cleaner shrimp, snails, and hermits are doing just fine. If it helps, my calcium averages around 430-450 ppm based on my most recent Salifert test thanks to Reef Crystals. I also finished up Reef Flux to kill off bryopsis so I hope I didn’t nuke too much GHA!
![IMG_6031.png IMG_6031.png](https://www.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/3554/3554165-d08b79bb2d2d84acb26b1a6f11e5399f.jpg)
![IMG_6036.jpeg IMG_6036.jpeg](https://www.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/3554/3554166-d39be1741e4a3d14f27c5951f20d8e35.jpg)
![IMG_6037.jpeg IMG_6037.jpeg](https://www.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/3554/3554167-092c110b0d33a4597e48f2ba792500e0.jpg)
![IMG_6041.jpeg IMG_6041.jpeg](https://www.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/3554/3554168-b54933ea6220dcf048631f32a3030280.jpg)