Urchin Secreting Mucus?

Boochika · Apr 30, 2020

I woke up this morning to check my acan and noticed that my red tuxedo urchin had moved halfway to the other side of my tank. He usually hangs out in one spot. He also has seemed pretty lethargic lately so I put in some spirulina pellets for him (which are gone). So I see him cruising across the sand and there is this snotty looking cloud coming out the top of his body (?).

I'm not sure what this is or if it's safe for my tank or the urchin. I've been worried that I was losing him lately but now he seems more active than he has been in the lat couple days. The mucus cloud is half as wide as him and twice as tall. He's about as big around as a quarter right now. Any advice to be offered on this would be extremely helpful.

EMeyer · Apr 30, 2020

Hard to be sure without a picture but I would guess its not mucus, but rather gametes. Your description sounds like what it looks like when an urchin spawns.

It can be a big mess, depending on the amount and your tank size you may want to run some carbon and change the skimmer cup frequently til its cleaned up...

AcroNem · Apr 30, 2020

+1^ sounds like spawning to me

Ted_C · Apr 30, 2020

that's so weird - mine (Black Spiny) spewed their sperm this morning as well. Looked all over the tank to see who died or if the calcium reactor went nuts over night. Found him on a rock spewing.

Boochika · Apr 30, 2020

Thing is, my tank isn't cloudy though. It's just a snot mass hanging right above my urchin. Tank is still very clear.

Boochika · Apr 30, 2020

EMeyer said:
Hard to be sure without a picture but I would guess its not mucus, but rather gametes.

Lights on and I've got a picture. It's not great but.you get the gist (pun intended)

Boochika · May 3, 2020

Update to this is that my urchin died. I don't think.he was spawning but expelling his guts or something. He's toast with no spines in the bottom of my tank. Frustrated reefer here. I feel like I'm doing everything right but maybe something toxic is in my water I dunno.