Urchins not doing well

[leahfiish]

I have been having some trouble with urchins in my tank. I have tried 2 pink pincushion urchins and they both started to die after a few weeks/months. The first one was missing some spines when I got it, but still moved around fine. I a few weeks later I got the second one, I've had it for a few months now but in the last week it's been very sluggish. I couldn't find it for the last few days and found it today on its side behind a rock, I gave it a few hours to see if it would come out before I decided that it was stuck and moved it to the front where I can keep a better eye on it. It's missing a ton of spines on the side it was laying on. I thought maybe they weren't getting enough food but I do have some hair algae and diatoms. I'm gonna pick up some algae sheets to target feed it. My other inverts (snails, hermit, cleaner shrimp, conch) seem to be doing okay. I have kept a close eye on my salinity and alk over the last few weeks because I know they can be sensitive to swings but it's been very stable. No ammonia or nitrites, nitrates under 10, kh around 9, calcium around 400, pH 7.9. All my corals are fine as well, it's just the urchins I'm having trouble with. Any suggestions on what to look for or anything I can do to help them? I love them and really want more but it seems like I can't even keep these cheap ones alive so I don't want to get any of the fancier ones yet. But maybe this kind is harder?

 

[ReefQueen]

You mentioned it being stuck, could the spines have been broken off? These guys are definitely not harder to keep, I've had mine for years and not always in the healthiest of tanks lol.

 

[Tahoe61]

What kind of fish do you have? Seems strange that the urchin looses spines in just spot.

As mentioned they are pretty dang hardy.

 

[sundog101]

I've had the same problem with urchins. Water is fine, but they slowly go downhill.

Lately I've been feeding mine small pieces of nori a few times a week and that seems to be keeping him healthy.

 

[najer]

They have to have a calcium source to grow, do you have enough coraline for them to graze, if not I would supplement them with some cuttlefish skeleton.

 

[leahfiish]

You mentioned it being stuck, could the spines have been broken off? These guys are definitely not harder to keep, I've had mine for years and not always in the healthiest of tanks lol.

Well, I don't know if it was lodged in or if it was stuck because it didn't have the strength to right itself. It was on its side, and the side that is missing the spines was on the sand. I've always known them to be hardy, too, so I'm puzzled.

What kind of fish do you have? Seems strange that the urchin looses spines in just spot.

As mentioned they are pretty dang hardy.

Only one fish, an Earmuff Wrasse, and I've never seen him show any interest in the urchin. The spot he lost the spines on was the part facing the ground when he was on his side. Also, the first Urchin had trouble before I got the wrasse.

I've had the same problem with urchins. Water is fine, but they slowly go downhill.

Lately I've been feeding mine small pieces of nori a few times a week and that seems to be keeping him healthy.

I'm going to start trying that, although I do have some algae so I though that would be enough.

They have to have a calcium source to grow, do you have enough coraline for them to graze, if not I would supplement them with some cuttlefish skeleton.

I do have coralline that I have to scrape off the glass every 2-3 weeks.

 

[leahfiish]

I got some cuttlebone and algae sheets to feed him when I get home.

 

[leahfiish]

I think it was too little too late. I put the cuttlebone on a rock and algae on top of it and put the urchin right on it. But after a few minutes he moved off. I tried again in the morning and same thing. And today he died and my cuc made short work of him. I want to try another one but I think I'll wait a bit.