High Tide Aquatics

Ich from Urchins?

NanoCrazed

NanoCrazed

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Looked at one of my tanks today and surprised by my tangs showing signs of ich. Been ich-free for over probably a year now.

Aside from frags, the only thing I've added were urchins from LA. Didn't think they would carry ich but maybe the water in the transfer? I don't QT inverts... but maybe I should start thinking about it...

Thoughts?
 
Not to point fingers, but every time I tank a frag from Neptune, my yellow tang will develop ich for a bit and then it'll go away...Correlation isn't causation but since we both got frags from there recently and my yellow tang is also showing a few spots, maybe there's something there?

I have heard that ich can be in the water which is why I try to transfer over as little water as possible from any external source
 
hmmm... maybe. I've put in plenty of frags and stuff from there and haven't had an issue those far. And, I always dip and rinse before putting into my tank...

So, figured probability is low.

But I've added a bunch of urchins recently from various places without QT. that was the last thing in so figured like IT tickets... last thing to stir the pot, first thing to blame. lol.

Either way, guess I'll treat for ich... sigh.
 
Ich won't be on coral tissue, but it can be on any rocks/frag plugs non coral tissue you put in your tank. I always remove coral and remount any time it's reasonably possible. LPS can also have Ich on its skeleton. Snails (and I would think urchins) can carry it in on their hard surfaces. I'm always weary of coral coming out of any tank with obvious Ich... I "quarantine" Coral, but admittedly rarely leave coral in quarantine the full 78 days or whatever the fallow period is for Ich. I generally assume any free floaters in the water are not transfered as I remove the coral from the bag and move to new water for dip, then to tank. But it's not impossible to transfer Ich there too.
 
Was thinking more of the water. I literally picked up the urchin out of the bag and into the tank since I've always assumed that inverts don't carry ich...same reason you would run a tank fallow.

Maybe next time, i will rinse in a container of fresh SW prior to putting in tank... :/
 
Chromis said:
Urchins don’t carry ich for the same reason algae doesn’t grow on them - their spines are covered with living tissue. Reportedly ich can only encyst in their tomont stage onto hard non living surfaces.

A good article on what and how long to QT for ich: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/coral-invert-quarantine-time-frames.334584/
Click to expand...

Ich can encyst on "glass, plastic, gravel, metal, wood, and 'shell materials' including staghorn corals." - Peter Burgess 1992 study

If you are trying to avoid ich in your tanks, you need to quarantine all inverts.
 
bluprntguy said:
Ich can encyst on "glass, plastic, gravel, metal, wood, and 'shell materials' including staghorn corals." - Peter Burgess 1992 study

If you are trying to avoid ich in your tanks, you need to quarantine all inverts.
Click to expand...

True of inverts with the said “Shell materials,” not true of inverts Without, such as undamaged see urchins or sea hares
 
Hmm, I am looking to buy some urchins as well to get rid of my algaes that I have to remove from time to time from my tank. It will be a long wait if I have to quarantine them for 40 day's...
 
Alexx said:
That would be interesting.
What type of urchin you will breed?
Are they hard to breed?
How long will it take?
Click to expand...
current plan is pin cushions... since I have the most of those so hoping for a pair ... I lost my original sets so a matter of probability.

AT some point, I would like to move up to rainbows but I only have 2 atm... and uncertain if they are male\female... :/. but plan on acquiring more to increase the odds...
 
Meshmez said:
Thats cool! Seems there might be an URCHINT need for them.:cool:

Sorry ill see myself out.
Click to expand...
I just want to get rid of my algae @Coral reefer recommended me to get 2 tuxedo urchins. But not sure where I will get them pest free...
I am kinda tired to keep cleaning the rocks. My nitrates are about 0-5 and phospate like 0.05 - 0.1. What will grow if I lower my nitrates to 0. I see that my zoas are not fully happy. Not to mention when I see algae growing between then is even more annoying cuz I have to clean them and dip them in peroxide. Is not a lot but is annoying to see them and clean them.
 
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