Urchin ate my wrasse?

[RudeDawg]

Hello reefers,

I have a question, is it possible that my tuxedo urchin killed my Pink streaked wrasse...
I have a 26gal RS nano that's currently home to a pair of black storm clowns, tailspot blenny, fire shrimp, one scarlet hermit, three blue legged hermits (all four are small), and various snails. I've also seen an abundance of small serpent starfish in the rock work. All inhabitants are doing well, and I've not seen any aggression problems with any of the fish. Anyway, I came home today to feed my tank and noticed that the pink streaked wrasse was missing. Right away, I had a feeling that it was a goner because since day one, it's never been one of the shy ones. It was always out swimming in the open or hunting over the rockwork. I noticed the urchin was stationary over a spot of rock where I keep some ricordias. I lifted the tuxedo urchin, and to my surprise, pieces of the pink streaked wrasse were stuck to the urchins spines right where its mouth is. I highly doubt the pink streak wrasse was sick. Is it possible for tuxedo urchins to kill fish? What do you guys think?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello reefers,

I have a question, is it possible that my tuxedo urchin killed my Pink streaked wrasse...
I have a 26gal RS nano that's currently home to a pair of black storm clowns, tailspot blenny, fire shrimp, one scarlet hermit, three blue legged hermits (all four are small), and various snails. I've also seen an abundance of small serpent starfish in the rock work. All inhabitants are doing well, and I've not seen any aggression problems with any of the fish. Anyway, I came home today to feed my tank and noticed that the pink streaked wrasse was missing. Right away, I had a feeling that it was a goner because since day one, it's never been one of the shy ones. It was always out swimming in the open or hunting over the rockwork. I noticed the urchin was stationary over a spot of rock where I keep some ricordias. I lifted the tuxedo urchin, and to my surprise, pieces of the pink streaked wrasse were stuck to the urchins spines right where its mouth is. I highly doubt the pink streak wrasse was sick. Is it possible for tuxedo urchins to kill fish? What do you guys think?

Urchin does not have speed or ability to hunt down a fish unless it is very weak.
Any lost of appetite, heavy breathing or odd behavior with wrasse most recently?

 

[Lavey29]

Uh, urchins are herbivores.

 

[RudeDawg]

Urchin does not have speed or ability to hunt down a fish unless it is very weak.
Any lost of appetite, heavy breathing or odd behavior with wrasse most recently?

No. It was behaving normal. Had good appetite, and no visible damage to its fins. I've never noticed any bullying. I have seen the female clown bully its partner, but never saw her chase or nip at the wrasse or blenny. Appreciate the reply.

 

[Reef.]

Uh, urchins are herbivores.

They are not actually.

 

[RudeDawg]

They are not actually.

So hypothetically, if a small fish is sick and weak, it is possible for an urchin to take advantage and make a meal out of it?

 

[Fishfreak2009]

So hypothetically, if a small fish is sick and weak, it is possible for an urchin to take advantage and make a meal out of it?

Absolutely, urchins will scavenge just about anything. My longspines will happily take a jumbo shrimp and consume the shell, tail, everything.

 

[Reef.]

So hypothetically, if a small fish is sick and weak, it is possible for an urchin to take advantage and make a meal out of it?

Yes, if it was still, if still moving at all then no…but either way the fish was dieing for an urchin to be eating it, fish do obviously sit still generally when dieing.

 

[RudeDawg]

Yes, if it was still, if still moving at all then no…but either way the fish was dieing for an urchin to be eating it, fish do obviously sit still generally when dieing.

Now I'm concerned for my other fish but I don't see any signs of stress. No heavy breathing, loss of appetite, lethargy, etc...

 

[Reef.]

Now I'm concerned for my other fish but I don't see any signs of stress. No heavy breathing, loss of appetite, lethargy, etc...

All you can do is do testing, ammonia is a big one but if that was the cause then generally I would expect inverts to first be affected before fish, oxygen is another, make sure you have surface movement and the room the tank is in has good air flow.

If really concerned you could get ICP test done but may not help much as again I would expect inverts to be hit first.

Could just be natural causes, maybe add some carbon if you don’t already, some contamination could have gotten into the tank.

One fish dead out of many, I wouldn’t look too much into it being a big problem that needs solving.

 

[Mr_Knightley]

Tuxedo urchins will only eat fish that are already dead, it's very unlikely the urchin killed your fish on its own. Keep an eye open for parasites or behavioral changes in your other fish just to be sure.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Now I'm concerned for my other fish but I don't see any signs of stress. No heavy breathing, loss of appetite, lethargy, etc...

The best thing you can do now is just to watch. There's no way to tell if it was a spreadable disease now that the fish is completely gone, unfortunately.

Just check your fish when feeding and watching the tank, and make the most stable environment possible to not stress out the fish and weaken their immune system.

 

[RudeDawg]

The best thing you can do now is just to watch. There's no way to tell if it was a spreadable disease now that the fish is completely gone, unfortunately.

Just check your fish when feeding and watching the tank, and make the most stable environment possible to not stress out the fish and weaken their immune system.

If it was some sort of parasite, how long will it be before I notice it affecting the other fish?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

If it was some sort of parasite, how long will it be before I notice it affecting the other fish?

I am not too sure. I can assume it varies for different parasites. I am sure someone else will have a answer. Sorry.

 

[Lavey29]

They are not actually.

From vendor algaebarn -

Where many snails, crabs, etc. won't eat much (or any) hair algae, tuxedo sea urchins seem to relish it. Given that sea urchins are such well-known as herbivores to the average reef aquarist, it might be a little surprising how often they are overlooked in clean-up crews

 

[Reef.]

From vendor algaebarn -

Where many snails, crabs, etc. won't eat much (or any) hair algae, tuxedo sea urchins seem to relish it. Given that sea urchins are such well-known as herbivores to the average reef aquarist, it might be a little surprising how often they are overlooked in clean-up crews

Liveaquaria also lists a Tail Spot Blenny as a herbivore, mine would strongly disagree with that too.

 

[Lavey29]

Liveaquaria also lists a Tail Spot Blenny as a herbivore, mine would strongly disagree with that too.

I had a tailspot and definitely an omnivore. I've had 3 urchins for 3 years now and they never touch fish food, frozen. Flakes, pellets, etc... have never gone after fish even a few that aged out in my tank. Snails and crabs are the undertakers not the urchins.

 

[Reef.]

I had a tailspot and definitely an omnivore. I've had 3 urchins for 3 years now and they never touch fish food, frozen. Flakes, pellets, etc... have never gone after fish even a few that aged out in my tank. Snails and crabs are the undertakers not the urchins.

Try putting a piece of octopus or a piece of squid partly under a rock and leave for an hour or so…you might just see the urchin on top of it.

 

[Lavey29]

Try putting a piece of octopus or a piece of quid partly under a rock and leave for an hour or so…you might just see the urchin on top of it.

I feed heavy frozen multiple times a day so squid is all over the tank. I drop clams down to the sand bed. Fish really don't like them but the crabs do. Never seen an urchin on one but my tank is heavy rock scape so the urchins have a lot of snacking space to cover. They like coralline on my back glass and film algae on the front glass. They did a great job on GHA 2.5 years ago too

 

[Reef.]

I feed heavy frozen multiple times a day so squid is all over the tank. I drop clams down to the sand bed. Fish really don't like them but the crabs do. Never seen an urchin on one but my tank is heavy rock scape so the urchins have a lot of snacking space to cover. They like coralline on my back glass and film algae on the front glass. They did a great job on GHA 2.5 years ago too

They eat meat, sorry to say but thats just how it is, I’m not wanting to convince you or argue with you.