Sea Urchins As Bio-indicators ?

[Alentino]

Do sea urchins really come in handy as bio-indicators? i have heard that they're really sensitive creatures to even slightest change in water parameters, is that true? I've had a few fishes dead in my tank and yet the little bugger seems healthy and fine.

[Tanzy]

My urchin came from my LR, so I would assume it has been through a lot and definitely not sensitive to adverse water conditions.

[leeweixiang]

my urchin just died in my tank...and all the fish in my tank died .....so sad...BTW how many kinds of urchin are there???mine is the kind tt has stiky limbs....and it is red and white in colour............

[FuEl]

Urchins are almost impossible to die.

Unless you immerse them in 100% freshwater. I once did it to my black spined sea urchin to euthanise it. It was growing to big for the tank and getting dangerous for my hands. It was'nt a really good sight.

[diabolus]

u should have brought it to a sushi place and get them to make sushi out of it.

[Razo]

isit easy to keep urchin? which are reef safe? long spine or short? how much?

[diabolus]

isit easy to keep urchin? which are reef safe? long spine or short? how much?

dan...

CF has lots of them.

[Tanzy]

Naturally, shot spine urchins are much much safer than long spined diadema urchins.

[diabolus]

tanzy,ur avatar is getting more exciting than mine!

[dodo]

In my current adverse tank condition, my two urchin is surviving dun think it is a good bio-indicator

[FuEl]

Yep..get the short spines...definitely safer.

My diadema pricked me once. I avoided its spines...but somehow it attacked me with its spines when it felt water movement near it. How aggressive! Ended up with luckily only 1 spine embedded in my skin. No way to remove it so had to rub it till it disintegrates into my blood.

I am..............part URCHIN!

[Alentino]

ok, i thought they could serve as bio-indicators. my nitrate sky rocketed recently and my precious little porcelain crab died. need to do water changes for now....