CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
Sorry no picture as my camera sucks and the urchin is between rocks. My urchin has what looks to be eggs attached to itself is this normal?
Urchin carrying eggs
- Thread starter CuzALongNeck
- Start date
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
what kind is it? Urchins pick up things and carry them with them. Pin cushions, among others, are always carrying bits of sand that could easily take the appearance of eggs though some species of Urchin definitely do carry their eggs within their spines so it is possible.
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
I think they said it is a purple urchin.
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
I dont think the purple carries its eggs. more than likely its sand
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
definitely not sand it is an egg of somethings it is transparent orbs with a hue of blackish purple
rocking
Reefing newb
sounds like its wait and see but i would move it to a sep spot tell u know a kids bug box works grate
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
did you just get the urchin? Did the eggs appear after you placed it in your tank? are they in a string, one attached to the next? Sounds like it may be a spawning event most likely caused by a change in temperature or salinity. If you just bought it and didn't drip it long enough, that would explain it. If that is the case, then whether it is male gametes, or female, it will be lacking the other so don't expect anything to hatch. Your fish will enjoy the caviar. That said, the change in levels would also indicate that the animal could be stressed so be extra cautious not to allow parameter swings while doing water changes over the next couple of weeks and just keep an eye on the urchin for health.
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
We have had the urchin about 3 weeks and our parameters have not changed. The eggs are not attached to each other, they are about the size of a BB and there doesn't seem to be a dot inside so most likely wont hatch anything. Can urchins pick up and carry other animals eggs?
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
Urchins can pick up... and will pick up just about anything that isn't bolted down :-)
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
Never a boring moment with saltwater :)
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
the big thing? Looks to be about the size of a dime?
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
little_fish
Moderator
Sea urchins dont carry eggs like that, they are also very very tiny. Im not sure what he picked up though
Mandarin66
Oh Hi
look like jelly lol
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
+1 Little Fish. Those are not Urchin eggs. They could be a sponge or tunicate, or some kind of hydroid. tough to tell without better pics. If you are worried, you could syphon them out with a piece of vinyl tube
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
I think I will just let it have fun with whatever it picked up as long as it doesn't hurt it
mng777777
Shark Wrangler Wannabe
it's not likely to cause trouble with the urchin... just not sure what you have in your tank??? :-)
AmberSunrise
Reef enthusiast
My avatar is my purple urchin carrying a big googly eye that I handed to him LOL OMG how cute would that be if it had tiny baby urchins! I WANT ONE
CuzALongNeck
Reefing newb
as far as I know I don't have trunicates or hydroids. I have a red firefish, a yellow tail blue damsel, a true perc, hitchhiker various worms including feather dusters, a cocoa worm one also, an unidentified anemone, various coral, astrea snails, hermit crabs, stomatella snails, couple mushrooms , and a longneck clam
