Pin cushion urchin behavior

[Jdbrusseau]

I added a new pin cushion urchin to my tank last night. This morning he was doing fine. I came home this afternoon and there are no spines on the ground but it looks like he's retracted them all inside. I've heard they're nocturnal, is it sleeping?

My peppermint shrimp is working very hard to groom him

 

[Mikedawg]

Don't believe spines retract and losing them is a sign of significant stress. Check your water parameters, make sure algae/food is available and watch closely for any movement.

 

[Jdbrusseau]

It just seems weird there are no spines anywhere

 

[Mikedawg]

Yeah, doesn't sound normal unless spines somehow were deposited on rock work or other out of the way place. Is it moving at all on its own if you move it?

BTW, high nitrate levels may explain spine loss; have you tested no3 using a quality kit - Salifert, Nyos, Hanna?

 

[Jdbrusseau]

Nope DEAD! Hollowed out last night

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Well that's a bummer.

Did you acclimate it slowly?

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Same happened to me! dripped for 2 hours added it in a dead zone with no flow. was dead the next day! nitrates at 10 ppm. Maybe too high

 

[vetteguy53081]

It just seems weird there are no spines anywhere

Sign of stress from nitrate or elevated Phos as well as elevated salinity or temp often leading to death

 

[Jdbrusseau]

Well that's a bummer.

Did you acclimate it slowly?

Yes but I think it was the freshwater dip that killed him

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Yes but I think it was the freshwater dip that killed him

Why did you do a FW dip?

 

[Jdbrusseau]

I fw dip all inverts and fish.

 

[GarrettT]

But why?

 

[Waters]

Yeah I definitely wouldn't recommend freshwater dipping inverts.....especially sensitive ones like urchins.

 

[Jdbrusseau]

Saltwater fish is a very expensive hobby. And hitchhikers, fluke worms and ick are just not things I want in my tank. I do a 5 minute freshwater dip and I haven't lost a fish from ich or any parasites in quite some time

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I fw dip all inverts and fish.

I would agree that's what killed it, but wondering Why you dipped it? A quick Google search brings up a resounding set of replies showing this will kill it. This will kill many inverts. Did you have bad information up front?

 

[Jdbrusseau]

Yeah I definitely wouldn't recommend freshwater dipping inverts.....especially sensitive ones like urchins.

And yet a lot of the forums say to do it on everything except for anneomes

 

[GarrettT]

This method is far from ordinary in terms of acclimation. Do you have a QT tank on hand or established?

 

[Jdbrusseau]

Yes I have 10 gallon qt with a 2 week window

 

[Mark Novack]

A fresh water dip will kill that urchin consistently.

 

[Waters]

And yet a lot of the forums say to do it on everything except for anneomes

I think you might want to avoid those forums and stay here .