urchins dieing....do they pollute tank much?

[stegoodall]

hi all
i havent seen my long spined black urchin for ages and i used to see it all the time so i think it may have died, does anybody know if they pollute the tank much or not? i want to know as if they do then i will move all the rocks round and try and find it but i presume only the small ball part of it could cause a problem?

[mfcfan]

hi ste not sure if they pollute the tank or not i had one for about 4 years then it decided to crawl under a rock at the back of the tank and die i didn't notice for a few days when i moved the rocks all that was left was the spines that it had shed and it's empty middle,i presume the crabs got to it :eek:

steve :)

[stegoodall]

thats why i was thinking it might not do too much damage, theres odd spines all over the tank lol, i might have a peek round the sides to see if i can find it tomorrow :)

[Paul P.]

Don`t give up hope just yet mate

my 8" across long spined has just reappeared after not seeing it for almost a month, I tried looking everywhere for it, as much as my rockwork would allow anyway and couldn`t find it, I thought it must of died because the pair of Banghaiis that usually hang around in it where out and about in the tank, then just when i`d resigned myself to having lost it I opened the curtains in the living room the other day and there it was munching coralline off the rocks !

having said that, are the spines in your tank whole spines or just snapped off pieces ? if they are whole ones then with l/spined this is usually a bad sign i`m afraid

[Tangman]

Hi Stephen i think you will do more harm than good trying to get the urchin out, leave it for the CUC to get rid of its amazing how much stuff they can clean up. Also it will stress your fish messing about in the tank. :DEric

[moorish]

i would not start moving rocks looking for it just leave it,if it has died the varios crabs etc will eat whats left of it. you never know it could turn up so dont give up hope yet.derek

[stegoodall]

the spines i see are just bits that break off, i'll have a look from outside the tank. i might find it if i change tanks later on :)