Sea Urchin Help

[Raynne]

Hello,

I have a pencil urchin in a 50 Gallon tank that has been injured in some way. He has a crack on his side and has lost several spines around the area of the crack.

His other spines seem to be well attached and he's moving around the tank, but there some greenish/black stuff on the spines he lost and some of his skeleton seems attached.

Do I take him out? Leave him in? Wait and see what happens?

Thanks for any help.

-Raynne

[ToddTT]

Hello,

I have a pencil urchin in a 50 Gallon tank that has been injured in some way. He has a crack on his side and has lost several spines around the area of the crack.

His other spines seem to be well attached and he's moving around the tank, but there some greenish/black stuff on the spines he lost and some of his skeleton seems attached.

Do I take him out? Leave him in? Wait and see what happens?

Thanks for any help.

-Raynne

Take him out? Not unless he is dead.

What else is in your tank?

Probably the best thing you can do is make sure nothing in the tank is causing injuries, and that the water quality is as good as you can get it.

[Raynne]

Take him out? Not unless he is dead.

What else is in your tank?

Probably the best thing you can do is make sure nothing in the tank is causing injuries, and that the water quality is as good as you can get it.

I have assorted corals (don't think they're going after him), four snails, a coral banded shrimp, a yellow tang, and a clown fish.

Pretty sure the tang didn't cause the damage, but it now seems to be harrassing him.

How do I know if he's dead vs. just unhappy? I don't want to risk the rest of my tank. Poor urchin!

[Raynne]

Aw, he went to the big aquarium in the sky last night.

I checked my water again this morning and it was fine, so I have to assume it was his injury that did him in. Only had him for a week.

[rluix]

Hello,

I have a pencil urchin in a 50 Gallon tank that has been injured in some way. He has a crack on his side and has lost several spines around the area of the crack.

His other spines seem to be well attached and he's moving around the tank, but there some greenish/black stuff on the spines he lost and some of his skeleton seems attached.

Do I take him out? Leave him in? Wait and see what happens?

Thanks for any help.

-Raynne

"I have a pencil urchin in a 50 Gallon tank"

"(...), a yellow tang, and a clown fish."

Did you research that fish? Those fish get big, and like to swim alot, an so need alot of swim area, 50 gallon its only half of the min. recommended for a tang, ANY TANG NEEDS AT LEAST 100 GALLONS.
The tang can get stressed , and get ick, and unless you have a hospital tank , then your system its preaty much destroyed.

On the Urchin, i don't know what could be causing it. a rock could have falled into him and cracked a bit of it.

[Raynne]

He's a very tiny tang. The person I purchased him from knew the tank size. When the tang out grows the tank, I'll swap him out to a new, bigger, tank. He's not stressed and he does not have ick. (Now, I'm sure the response will be to say how unethical all LFS are and will sell anyone anything.)

Why is it that any time you ask a question on an aquarium forum, you get several nice, reasonable responses, and one guy who has to start flaming in bold and caps to show how smart he is?

[rluix]

He's a very tiny tang. The person I purchased him from knew the tank size. When the tang out grows the tank, I'll swap him out to a new, bigger, tank. He's not stressed and he does not have ick. (Now, I'm sure the response will be to say how unethical all LFS are and will sell anyone anything.)

Why is it that any time you ask a question on an aquarium forum, you get several nice, reasonable responses, and one guy who has to start flaming in bold and caps to show how smart he is?

First -The only one that looks like a smartass here is you, take a good look at what you just said, im not flamming nor angry, im just saying that tangs need a 100 gallon min. tank, wich is basic info.
Second - Everybody says the same " I Will get a bigger tank" that small tang wont stay small forever, how can you tell hes not stressed, you talk to fish? Seems like to you survival is better than keeping happy fish.
Third - "Now, I'm sure the response will be to say how unethical all LFS are and will sell anyone anything." this just shows you have no idea what you are talking about, that statment has nothing to do with this little talk.
Fourth - Read this , and pay special atention on the "In the Aquarium" part.

[ToddTT]

Many Tangs can cover over 20 miles a day, and therefore benefit from the longest aquarium possible.

A minimum of 6 feet is a good rule of thumb for most species of Tang, and they benefit from this long before reaching their adult size.

This is one of the top offenses in the hobby, and therefore generates a lot of passion, and anger. Stemming from a desire to see that these creatures, which we have stolen from their natural habitat, have healthy lives with minimal stress.

So everybody get along, and keep spreading the knowledge.

[Raynne]

Thank you Todd for making your point without the need to bold or capitalize it. I can in fact read (even in the absence of large, bold text). ;;

My LFS will take back fish with no problems when they grow a bit. I'm enjoying the super tiny tang I have for now, and will return it to them once it gets too large for its current environment.

As for being able to tell whether or not a fish is stressed - no, like anyone else on this forum I cannot speak to fish. However, I can read behavioral descriptions of what stress looks like, and can, and do, consult very closely with the owner of my LFS on any behaviors that concern me (and I'm paranoid), and make a judgement based on these things.

[ToddTT]

No problem. I didn't want to see rluix's points get lost. And any time caps are involved, it becomes very hard to tell a person's intent.

We're all here for the same reasons, to learn and succeed in the hobby.

All that said, watch out for good intentions. Trying to capture this Tang in a year could prove to be very difficult and stressful for the fish, and you.

Injuries can also happen during netting. Lacerations, eye injuries, unintentional crushing with decorations or rock.

And then there's the stresses of acclimation. Going from your tank, to the LFS tank, with different surroundings, tankmates, salinity, PH, and possible parasites.

You won't want to do this to a creature that has become your pet.

My advice for the the future would be to research as much as possible before buying, ask your LFS for advice, but double-check it all before acting on it. LFS's have too much to lose if they can't pay their bills.

Seek out unbiased information on the web, in this forum, and in sources like these:

Find The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists (Microcosm/T.F.H. Professional) 2nd Edition 2008 Robert M. Fenner 1890087998 9781890087999 - Direct Textbook

Find A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species 1999 Scott W. Michael 1890087386 9781890087388 - Direct Textbook

And also, every sticky in these forums.

One thing you might do today is get a quality powerhead, like a small Koralia. You may eventually find your Tang spending a good portion of time swimming into its currents. Basically a fish treadmill, to simulate some of the conditions the Tang is built for.

[Raynne]

Hi Todd,

I'm pretty new at this (reef tanks) so for now I have someone from the LFS that comes out ever two weeks to check up on everything. I don't want to upset the fish. I agree that paying the bills is important to an LFS, but so is generating a good relationship so that I'll keep purchasing there. The owner has been reef keeping for a long time and has some gorgeous tanks (and 15 year old fish) so my inclination is to trust him. He's given me some advice that's been directly in opposition to everything I know about salt water tanks (have had fish only tanks for 18 years), but has been right every time so far. This is my first reef tank.

I actually picked up the power head you suggested last Saturday and the tang does seem to dig it.

Thank you again - I'll look into the resources you suggested.

-Raynne

[reefer@zoom]

a small yellow tang needing a 100 gal. tank..lets see.....How about your nuts and so way overboard it not even funny!

[reefer@zoom]

It was proabaly A rock.I had one die because of that.

[Jgisler2006]

First -The only one that looks like a smartass here is you, take a good look at what you just said, im not flamming nor angry, im just saying that tangs need a 100 gallon min. tank, wich is basic info.
Second - Everybody says the same " I Will get a bigger tank" that small tang wont stay small forever, how can you tell hes not stressed, you talk to fish? Seems like to you survival is better than keeping happy fish.
Third - "Now, I'm sure the response will be to say how unethical all LFS are and will sell anyone anything." this just shows you have no idea what you are talking about, that statment has nothing to do with this little talk.
Fourth - Read this , and pay special atention on the "In the Aquarium" part.

Your not flaming or angry just a plain bitch, give the guy a break, answer the question and take your tank police attitude somewhere else. Never thought i'd see the day where someone in the aquarium hobby actually felt they were better than someone else. I guess arrogance has no limits.

[rluix]

Your not flaming or angry just a plain bitch, give the guy a break, answer the question and take your tank police attitude somewhere else. Never thought i'd see the day where someone in the aquarium hobby actually felt they were better than someone else. I guess arrogance has no limits.

Jesus, i surely hope you were not refering to me as an arrogant person, i was just giving him some info, "a plain bitch" so you are saying anyone that gives info is a "plain bitch", or maybe because its not what they wanted to hear? Very mature of your part. You should know that there are people out there that do not research what they buy.
Take this video as an example of a bad thing to do.
Try to be a little more mature if you decide to reply. lets not start a war shall we?

[rluix]

a small yellow tang needing a 100 gal. tank..lets see.....How about your nuts and so way overboard it not even funny!

That would stop the tang from being changed from tank to tank, causing stress, and maybe even ick.

[charlie]

There are some good points being made here, but if you want to continue calling folks names, then I suggest that maybe you should do it in a PM, because if any more name calling goes on in this thread, I will close it.;););)