Purple Urchin - Turning upside Down?

[bryan3536]

Just got an urchin. Acclimated for about an hour or so then into DT (yesterday). Came home today and it was upside down - I turned I over (thought it fell) and watched it slowly turn itself upside down again. Normal behavior or do I need to start testing and thinking about a WC?

 

[saltyhog]

Can you take a picture. That certainly sounds like odd behavior to me. I've never had my tuxedo or rock boring urchins do that.

 

[mta_morrow]

Can you tell if it losing any of its spines?

 

[bryan3536]

Can you tell if it losing any of its spines?

Yes, a few look like they have come off.

 

[cristata.reef]

That's definitely not normal. Urchins have pretty strong grip from their several hundred tube feet. Perhaps it's a little anemic and needs food. Also spines will break off every so often and as long as it's not a lot at the same time then it is normal. But we'll need some basic info; how long have you had him, water params, has he eaten, etc

 

[bryan3536]

That's definitely not normal. Urchins have pretty strong grip from their several hundred tube feet. Perhaps it's a little anemic and needs food. Also spines will break off every so often and as long as it's not a lot at the same time then it is normal. But we'll need some basic info; how long have you had him, water params, has he eaten, etc

I just got him Wednesday - online delivery. Floated him in sump in bag for 20 min or so. Then transferred to small container with bag water, and slowly added tank water over next 30 minutes or so. Then I transferred into tank, moved around ok, etc. Came home from work today, upside down. Flipped him over and went to do something else - came back 10 min later and upside down again. Flipped him over again and placed on that rock as pictured - watched him slowly turn himself over.

Nitrates/Nitrites good (0/<20), ph at my usual 8.3, salinity on point (1.026), temp 79.5. Not sure if it matters but I’ve had a tuxedo in tank for 6 mos without issue.

 

[bryan3536]

I just got him Wednesday - online delivery.

I should mention that I also had some snails and a couple of frags delivered at same time, which got dipped, rinsed, removed from plugs, glued to rock chunks and put in tank. It’s a 180g tank, so doubt its superglue irritating it, but putting info out there.

 

[bryan3536]

Update: my timer dimmer lights to moon/just blues, and the urchin righted itself. Weird.

 

[cristata.reef]

Huh, maybe you just got a wierd urchin. Is it flipping over because it is falling off the glass?

 

[mta_morrow]

I would keep a close eye on it, especially for a loss of spines. The rolling over is unusual as well.

30 minutes is a very short amount of time to drip acclimate an urchin. They are very sensitive to changes.

I have had a few and the the only one I had that didn’t make it was a pincushion that had symptoms like yours.

I’m not saying yours won’t make it! I hope it does.

Has it picked up any pieces of rubble or small snails or anything and are they stuck to it? That is typically a good sign.

 

[watdachuck]

Sounds like it may have some air trapped inside it. If it hasn't recovered already I might hold him upside down and see if it can "burp" it.

 

[bryan3536]

Sounds like it may have some air trapped inside it. If it hasn't recovered already I might hold him upside down and see if it can "burp" it.

Update: when I got up in the morning yesterday it had righted itself and moved to sand, when I came home from work it was on front glass acting “normal.” Same this morning. I wonder if the air issue was it - thanks all.

 

[mta_morrow]

Great!

 

[bryan3536]

Update: Dude lost most of his spines. Like it happened overnight. So bummed. Picked him up tonight and he’s still alive, I don’t have a QT or anything set up so I put him where he was and am hoping he pulls through.