Ok... well I have (possibly, still pending pick up) gotten ahold of one longspine urchin (
Diadema antillarum), and am still working on the second one... but I have a few questions to Martin Moe, or anyone who was there watching his presentation this past MBI workshop.
1. From the reading I've done...these are dioecious creatures... how do I sex these guys? I would like to try my hand at them... I have seen literature referencing the genital plate... is this an external feature to which I can reference too? Many images I have found seem to indicate this is internal?
2. Martin Moe said he used 5 different species of live algae (I think it was 5): does anybody recall which ones these are, that he is having such success?
3. At what size/age (mostly asking about size) do we know of these being sexual mature enough to actually procreate? I know they have a larval stage of 4-6 weeks, but all the sources I've looked into on these seem to end any quantitative amount of time from that 'larval' stage on to the post development of the plates (assumingly post plate development leaves them fully formed at this point?)... What is considered a breeding size diadema?
3. Also, I have read several accounts and Martin also spoke of inducing spawning behavior via increased temperature... by how much of a swing are we talking here? Most research I've come across says it's natural water temps hit highs around the low 80's... this 'induced' spawning, are you taking the urchin out of the tank and leaving it at high temps for a matter of minutes? hours?
Thanks everyone! I appreciate your input!!!
This should be an interesting experience!!!