Urchins

[SuperScro]

I was considering adding a Pincushion Urchine to my system, one that gets to about 3 inches or so? I think its the tuxedo urchine. I figure they are good algae eaters, but how well do they do in captivity? Can their spins easily hurt fish. I have a firefish and don't want him to get injured. What type of care do they need?

 

[New Reefer]

Urchins are probably the best algae eaters one can get. Just be aware that they eat algae indiscriminately, and will eat some of your coralline algae as well.

Urchins do very well in captivity if there is enough food (algae) in the tank. Their worst problem is that they climb over everything, and if your rockscape is not packed solidly they can cause smaller rocks to move (and perhaps cause a "rockslide"...). They don't need any special care - just make sure that there are no urchin eating fish in the tank.

I've kept various species of urchins over the past 8 years or so, and I have never had any fish or other inhabitant injured by an urchin (apart from myself, that is... urchin spines are rather painful if they prick your hand...)

Hope this helps.

Hennie

 

[SuperScro]

The rock part was what I was worried about. Most of my rocks are pretty heavy and are stable. With an exception of a small rock sitting on its own, buts it only 3 pounds. Another thing I am concerned is if some burrow in the sand and really move the sand around, and that can cause my rock to move.

 

[WeeNe858]

yeah... fishes mind their manners when around urchins.. I, on the other hand, have been stabbed to many time... but luckly the spine didnt snap off and lodge in me fingers..:]



and its wierd cuz you dont feel the stab untill a couple seconds later

 

[Fishieness]

i had an urchin in my reef for a little while. the real problem i found was, as stated (and since they dont have a brain), they just plow over everything. can eat yoru coraline. i was finding expensive sps frags scattered all over the tank, and even lost a few smaller ones, probably behind the rocks. make sure everyting is really secure. Also, be especialy careful with sps. They can sometimes go right over them in their continuous search for algae on the rocks, but they can leave a small path in their wake form their teeth trying to scare anything they can get off.

 

[New Reefer]

Some photos of mine

Here are two photos of urchins I've had for some years - they both arrives as baby hitch hikers on LR (measuring less than 10mm when first discovered).





Hennie