sea urchins acquired - what to do?

[kel]

We recently aquired 13 urchins that I am now responsible for. They are in a tank that is about 15? gallons - all 13. I'm sure that they need more space but I don't have another aquarium except for the 210 gallon and I don't want them in with my corals. There is a carbon filter and 1 small air pump. The previous owner fed them 1 seaweed sheet a week. I have read online that if they don't have enough food that they will eat each other. So here are my questions:

How much should I feed? Anything besides seaweed?

Should the light be on a timer? If so, how many hours on/off?

Is the carbon filter enough? I read that they are pretty dirty.

Any other advice for a total newbie?

THANKS!!!

 

[Bifferwine]

What kind of urchins are they? Most urchins are reef safe and would be fine in your tank. In fact, they are great cleaners. I honestly think you have too many urchins to take care of, especially in a tank that size. Can you bring them to your LFS for store credit?

 

[kel]

I am not sure what kind they are. They are black with long spines. I agree I have too many. They were used in a developmental biology class and I think they have been genetically modified. I don't think a store will take them for credit. I am just going to try and do the best that I can with them... She was going to euthanize them if we didn't take them.

 

[Bifferwine]

Nah they haven't been genetically modified. They have only been used to study their embryos. Urchins are very commonly used in developmental biology classes.

They sound like common long-spined urchins, which are reef safe. And an LFS would take them for credit.

 

[Bifferwine]

Sea Urchin Embryology

See, there's nothing to be afraid of about your urchins. They are just normal urchins, not "genetically modified". Urchins are like mice -- commonly used model animals in labs. It was nice of you to adopt them, and they aren't any different from other urchins that you would buy at the LFS.

 

[yote]

Biff is 100% correct.
Drop 3 or 4 in that 210 and trade the rest for store credit.:D

 

[kel]

Thanks for the comments. I know they are used for studying embryology but she did something additional to another batch of urchins that were given to us about a year ago (all died) so I think she may have modified these also. I didn't help care for them before. I don't have the authority to get rid of these. I just have to take care of them...

Any ideas about how much to supplement feeding?

 

[Bifferwine]

You don't have the authority to get rid of them? When they were going to be euthanized if you didn't take them? Whose authority do you need? The person that was just going to kill them anyways?

I have no idea how much to supplement feeding, honestly. I think you'd need to feed them more than one sheet a day. I'd start by doubling that and see if it all gets eaten. If it does, keep adding more until you are at the right amount. If it doesn't get eaten, try for 1 1/2 sheets per day.

 

[dcantucson]

they have been genetically modified


I'm picturing giant urchins taking over the world.:shock:

 

[Sharkie]

uh, i doubt whatever she "did to modify them" was probably just her way of trying to scare you. urchins are used for all sorts of things biological wise.... If she was going to kill them ( euthanize an urchin? with what?! air?!) and you took them YOU have control over what happens to them now... but that is a very large quaninty of urchins in a VERY small tank.

Long spines are reef safe, nothing she did will change that. Put a few in your 210, they'll do much better and are amazing cleaners. Take the rest to a LFS. Honestly I wouldn't care if it wa "modified". I doubt she could've done anything detrimental to them