Question about pincushion urchin

[mamaJ]

Hi all!
I could use some opinions and thoughts on this. I posted a couple of weeks ago that my pin cushion urchin stopped collecting things like shells and rocks. He hasn’t picked up anything in a couple of weeks. The responses I got were good and I haven’t been worried about that. But now in the last week I’ve noticed he’s dropping some spikes. You can see them in the picture I’m including and he’s been dropping a few every day. He still moving around quite a bit. He’s very active and he crawls up on the glass and the rocks. We had the water tested yesterday and everything is 100% perfect. So there is nothing in the tank condition that would be harming him. Also we are feeding well and I know food isn’t an issue and he isn’t starving. When I chose this little guy, I picked him over the little baby small ones. I just like this guy a lot. But I got him knowing that he was not a baby and without any way of really knowing his age. So what I’m here to ask, does he seem like he might be just reaching the end of his life span? He seems otherwise healthy and OK but the spine loss and lack of collecting has me thinking that maybe he’s older and coming in on the end of his time? Thoughts?

 

[KC's CNC Creations]

normally it's a sign that they are dying, from the cleanliness of the tank i'd say from starvation, the tank isn't mature enough to support him and you've likely not been supplementing his diet enough.

 

[mamaJ]

I feel awful. He was doing so well. I got him some nori today as was suggested to me but I’m thinking it might be too late. I hope he will be ok.

 

[Alexopora]

I feel awful. He was doing so well. I got him some nori today as was suggested to me but I’m thinking it might be too late. I hope he will be ok.

I have never taken age into consideration regarding urchins. Hopefully he recovers with the nori. Does he react enthusiastically towards the nori. I know my tuxedos perk up and go crazy once I out nori into the tank.

 

[mamaJ]

I have never taken age into consideration regarding urchins. Hopefully he recovers with the nori. Does he react enthusiastically towards the nori. I know my tuxedos perk up and go crazy once I out nori into the tank.

Yeah I’m not sure about the age thing at all. They had really little ones that were young but I liked this guy and he’s full grown. But who knows? I’m not sure if he was old or not. Maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better. Anyway he seemed to be doing ok with the nori at first and I had some hope. But he hasn’t moved in a very long time (hours) and I think he lost more spines and he just doesn’t look good. I think he might have passed. But I can’t tell yet and I don’t want to take him out before I’m sure. My poor little guy. I’m so sad.
Thank you for the reply.

 

[KC's CNC Creations]

while they are technically herbivores, they will eat meat and i used to feed mine small pieces of shrimp, i would at least offer something more substantial then the nori at this point.