Calling all Urchin owners!!!

skeety · 06-15-2005, 04:13 PM

Okay...hoping anyone else who has one has ever seen this before, and can tell me to relax.

my Diadema setosum (long spined Black urchin) just squirted a bunch of white liquid into the water.

I was there...I saw it. It came out of the top, in 5 different yet converging streams (each one RIGHT behind the fake-eye/anus on top).

It lasted about 3 seconds...and it was this milky white liquid.

please tell me it's not poisonous.

I've had the guy for 2 months, never saw this before. He's doing great...almost doubled in size...very mobile.

any clues?

Tim224DT · 06-15-2005, 04:29 PM

Sry i have never seen my urchin do that when i had one. I found this article online maybe its what your urchin is doing.

Reproduction
Longspine urchins reproduce by spawning or releasing eggs and sperm into the ocean at the same time. Females can produce millions of eggs each time they spawn. Since the egg and sperm are broadcasted into the sea, fertilization or the joining of egg and sperm to form a tiny urchin, is most likely to occur if a large number of sea urchins have gathered in the same area and spawn at the same time.

Tim

Twitterbait · 06-15-2005, 04:37 PM

Nothing to worry about. it is either spawning or pooping. They only poison if they are dying and when that happens they start dropping their spines like crazy.

skeety · 06-15-2005, 04:38 PM

yeah...I figured he's either trying to create life...or destroy it.

Have NO idea how to tell which.

But he's the ONLY urchin in my tank...and I find it hard to believe that my tank conditions are good enough for him to spawn.

Not to mention...it's 5 in the afternoon. Don't most sea creatures spawn at night?

either way...hope your right.

I'm off to a dart match. I guess I'll find out when I get back, if all the fish are dead, or alive.

skeety · 06-15-2005, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twitterbait

Nothing to worry about. it is either spawning or pooping. They only poison if they are dying and when that happens they start dropping their spines like crazy.

I've seen him poop before though. And that comes from his fake-eye, NOT the outside of that eye. Plus that usually looks like little dipp-n-dots (that space age ice cream that comes in little dots?)

unless this was diarrhea (ewww)

Tim224DT · 06-15-2005, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeety

unless this was diarrhea (ewww)

Yeah EWWW

wharyat · 06-15-2005, 06:52 PM

Good job, it likes you and your tank

(it's spawning

)

AriZonaD54 · 06-15-2005, 07:14 PM

I just threw up.

Melissa · 06-15-2005, 07:20 PM

Loverotties · 06-15-2005, 07:30 PM

Did you buy it from Michale Jackson?

Tim224DT · 06-15-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loverotties

Did you buy it from Michale Jackson?

:rotf lmao: