Are long spine urchines hard to keep?

[homebrewdude]

I bought a long spine urchine last night
This morning it is dead.

Are these hard to keep?

My fish and snails are fine...

[ophiuroid]

Not necessarily, but we need to know more.

What are the specific parameters of your tank?
How did you acclimate?
How old is your tank?

All echinoderms are delicate when it comes to tank age, parameters and acclimation.

[lux_06]

Acclimation imo is the reason its dead, they need to be slowly acclimated from the water they came in to the water in your tank as they are slow to adjust to any change in salinity especially. but yeh tell us more and you may get a more detailed answer.

[homebrewdude]

He only lasted 8 hours...

I checked all my parameters
SG 1.025
pH = 8.2
Nitrate = 0
Phosphate = 0
Calcium = 500
Alkalinity = 4mEq/L
My temp was 83F (I need to work on getting this lower)

200+lbs live sand
100lbs live rock

RODI water
Instant Ocean Reef Salt

The tank has been up and running for 5 weeks.
Filters, some water some sand from established tanks


I let the urchin float on the water for 20-30min
I then made a slit and slowly added my tank water to the bag
this went on about 20min until the bag was nearly full

[ophiuroid]

Your acclimation time was far too short, and the tank far too young (IMO) for one of these animals.

[dc]

Probably wouldn't have hurt to let your tank age a little more. I had one hitchike on some LR. I eventually took him out when he got to large.

Also I would be testing for ammonia, and nitrites in that new of a tank.

[racrumrine]

Another point is that they only eat coralline algae, green algae, and macroalgaes.

It would probably be months before your tank had enough food to be able to keep one.

Best of luck,

Roy

[homebrewdude]

I took the dead urchine and a water sample to my LFS

They checked my water, said everything was perfect.
They said my salinity was on the high side 1.026

I took a credit for the dead urchine. Guess I will wait now

[Lev F.]

I added my Diadema when it was a little bugger the size of a golf ball. Now it's the size of a Size 5 Basketball. I added him when my tank was 2 years old, acclimated him for 2 hours. They don't only eat coralline algae, green algae, and macroalgae. Sure, they graze on them, but mines eats a whole lot of other stuff, Veggie Pellets, Nori, Algae Wafers, etc.

[homebrewdude]

Are the long spine harder to keep then the pencil or short spine?

I do want to try another one.
I have been reading up on acclimation methods

[garvondavis14]

yeah, i would say it was the super quick acc.....need to do it longer and slower next time

[ixp7633]

i have had a long spine urchin in my tank and its doing very well. my tank has only been running for two months..

[Slickdonkey]

I heard urchins will leave marks on acrylic aquariums. Has anyone experienced this?