Tuxedo Sea Urchin

[Dan1788]

I bought one of these at the weekend it has been fine.
Did a WC last night to come home tonight still in the same place with the spines fallen of it and its waste blew out of it like a balloon.
I'm 100% it's Dead
Are these a difficult Invert to keep?
Could it have got stressed?

Thanks

 

[SlugSnorter]

"90% of the time urchins shed their spines due to high or elevated nitrates. They do not, like most invertebres, do well in elevated nitrate levels. If all his spines are gone, most likely he is dead from high nitrate concentration."

check params

or maybe a fish tore him to shreds, tankmates?

 

[G Santana]

As stated above, high nitrates are detrimental. I have one now close to a year and only once did it drop spines and then I supplemented his diet with nori and he bounced back.
My issue was not nitrate related. But if yours dropped all its spines in one day, it's not good.