Question about urchin

mamaJ

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Hi! I’m new here and also new to aquarium management. I am a little concerned about our pincushion urchin. We have had him about a month. He’s very active and moves all over the tank constantly. He looks healthy and doesn’t seem to be losing spines. But here’s why I’m concerned: the first few weeks we had him he was collecting things and carrying them around 24/7: snails, little crabs, rocks and shells and debris from the sand. But in the past week or so he hasn’t collected anything. I’ve read as much as I can about these guys and can’t find anything about why they might STOP collecting things. As for the tank, the water and levels are perfect (just had them tested). Is it ok for him not to pick things up anymore?
I’ll attach some pics. These are all of him now, and I think he looks healthy and active other than not collecting his little treasures.

D77DC72B-7D79-4EA3-9BE7-AE77BB5D9DA6.jpeg FD4F9D88-644C-4030-913D-685A845A34B6.jpeg 5C1FFF13-59E3-4165-9212-1BC3116F413E.jpeg
 

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Looks healthy to me. Mine will go from nothing to frags and anything else attached depending on what they are doing. I noticed the more they are in direct light the more they like to have on them.

My urchins have cost me more in coral than any type of losses related to care
 
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mamaJ

mamaJ

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Looks healthy to me. Mine will go from nothing to frags and anything else attached depending on what they are doing. I noticed the more they are in direct light the more they like to have on them.

My urchins have cost me more in coral than any type of losses related to care
Ok thank you! He seems ok in general and is still actively moving around everywhere. He sticks to the glass well. I just got worried when he stopped collecting. I love that little guy and I’m a worrier by nature, so I wanted to make sure he is ok
 

Hydrored

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Ok thank you! He seems ok in general and is still actively moving around everywhere. He sticks to the glass well. I just got worried when he stopped collecting. I love that little guy and I’m a worrier by nature, so I wanted to make sure he is ok

Just make sure it has enough to eat, you can give him a piece of nori and watch out for salinity swings

I have 2 that munch on coraline all day, makes the rocks look funny but I let them do their thing. My wife named one of them Hot Mess
 

vetteguy53081

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Thats good. . . I dont like mine packing its suitcase and dragging it around the neighborhood (tank).
 
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mamaJ

mamaJ

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Just make sure it has enough to eat, you can give him a piece of nori and watch out for salinity swings

I have 2 that munch on coraline all day, makes the rocks look funny but I let them do their thing. My wife named one of them Hot Mess
How do you know that they are eating what you give them? Do you actually see them eat it? Are you talking about the little bits of frozen foods, like krill?
Also lol @ Hot Mess
 

Hydrored

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How do you know that they are eating what you give them? Do you actually see them eat it? Are you talking about the little bits of frozen foods, like krill?
Also lol @ Hot Mess
No its nori algae sheets, same you feed tangs. No need to do it regularly unless there is really nothing for them to eat
 
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mamaJ

mamaJ

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No its nori algae sheets, same you feed tangs. No need to do it regularly unless there is really nothing for them to eat
Oh ok, great! Thank you! I really love this spiky little fellow so I’ll get him that. Thanks again for your guidance and info!
 

Rock solid aquascape: Does the weight of the rocks in your aquascape matter?

  • The weight of the rocks is a key factor.

    Votes: 10 8.5%
  • The weight of the rocks is one of many factors.

    Votes: 43 36.8%
  • The weight of the rocks is a minor factor.

    Votes: 35 29.9%
  • The weight of the rocks is not a factor.

    Votes: 28 23.9%
  • Other.

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