purple sea urchin shed spine

[Coralxchickx:)]

help please!!! I have had my purple sea urchin for over a year now. he has been doing great!!! getting bigger and bigger!
Yesterday he was fine.. has all his spine!
Then this morning 80% of his spine are gone!!!
I have check water temp, nitrate, ph, salinity, ammonia...
everything is right where it should be!
any suggestions?
Maybe the angelfish!! please help!!!

 

[CRW Reef]

If your water parameters are truly good, it might be hungry. Generally loosing spines is a sign of declining water quality and often times is salinity.

I wouldn't worry yet if your parameters are solid. Just keep the parameters on point and feed the urchin nori every few days and I'm sure the spines will grow back.

 

[Coralxchickx:)]

If your water parameters are truly good, it might be hungry. Generally loosing spines is a sign of declining water quality and often times is salinity.

I wouldn't worry yet if your parameters are solid. Just keep the parameters on point and feed the urchin nori every few days and I'm sure the spines will grow back.

Thank you for the advise.
he still has all is tiny spines but just the big ones fell off.
There is plenty of alge in the tank.. hmmm
I just hope he will make it... love the dude
oh and thought I would also add, I have 1 black long spine, and 2 baby pincush sea urchin... they are all doing GREAT! just this one guy

 

[SynDen]

If your water parameters are truly good, it might be hungry. Generally loosing spines is a sign of declining water quality and often times is salinity.

I wouldn't worry yet if your parameters are solid. Just keep the parameters on point and feed the urchin nori every few days and I'm sure the spines will grow back.

+1 but also think the long spines can often time get broken off pretty easy too. If the urchin found him self in a tight spot in the rocks it could be that he just broke them off. If he loses all his spines suddenly then I would worry a bit, but if just the long ones came off I wouldnt worry to much about that.