Black Urchin and Naso Tang - feeding

[StanH]

We have a black urchin that is about 2 inches across. He has been stuck to our live rock frags eating algea. Occaisionally, he will move to the glass and across the crushed coral base. When we first put the urchin and our blond naso tang in the tank we had a lawn... and the frags were covered with hairy algea. Both the Tang and the urchin and cleaner goby have a done a number on the lawn like algea/grass.

We want to make sure that the urchin is getting enough to eat. I read on the web to try some hard boiled egg whites, which we put right next to him he grabbed and then let go. I also have tried to give him the seaweed that the Tang loves from the clip, but he grabs and then lets go.

The tang is eating mostly seaweed from a clip. He like to nibble all the way around the bottom and let it float free. I read that he might like some blanched broccoli... but so far he just swims by. Any other suggestions? We are feeding the other fish with flakes, sometimes he has a few of those.

Any suggestions on what we can feed the urchin? And where to place it?
Are ther other lettuce, spicah etc... thngs we should try on the Tang? How would you prepare and present?


We just put a UV sterilizer in to fix our water borne algea bloom ... will this make it hard for him and the Tang to get enough algea?

We do not have any inverts yet... the bottom is looking awesome. Will the UV sterilizer minimize the need for inverts... or will there be enough leftover food and fish waste to keep some inverts happy?

 

[quarryshark]

Welcome to the forum. I have a huge longspine urchin and he just loves when I give him a little nori sheep twice a week. Takes him the whole day to consume it.
He now spends much of his time on the front glass waiting.....
As for the tang, the nori is just fine. You will want to also give him some high quality frozen food (not brine). San fransisco brand and Ocean Nutrition makes some great foods.

 

[dianeww]

I have a huge longspine urchin and he just loves when I give him a little nori sheep twice a week.

Will this keep the urchin from going after corals?

 

[specialk]

Feeding the Urchin nori will help, I had a large long spine that I fed Nori to all the time & it still became a coral eater. Long spines are usually pretty good when it comes to corals, feed it and keep an eye on it.
I used to feed it Nori & Fresh Frozen Broccol, I would thaw a small piece & use a feeder stick to set it in the spines. Your Yellow tang may eat that also, Place a small piece in a feeder clip.
I feed Fresh Frozen Brocolli & Peas along with meaty foods to my Tang & Triggers along with Nori, they love it.

Kaye

 

[dianeww]

use a feeder stick to set it in the spines.

If you can get it into his spines he'll eat it?

 

[specialk]

I have never had a problem with feeding, I have some Urchins that are carnivores, I place the meaty food on my feeder stick and they just take it with their spines.
Urchins can move food around in the spines so you can place it anywhere, if they want it they can move it to their mouth's.

Kaye