Do I want a tuxedo urchin

[Finatic]

Hello all: I don't have a major algae problem, just some muisance bubble algae the my emerald is dealing with quite nicely.

I was wondering if some folks could chime in on the pros and cons of a Tuxedo Urchin. I have never had an Urchin before and am honestly very naive about them and a little leary b/c I am under the impression that they all sting the CR** out of you if you touch them.

So I have a few questions:
1) Do they sting?
2) How do you handle them? Gloves etc?
3) Will they be okay with my stock list?

Thanks for helping out an urchin Wimp.

 

[Speakerman]

An urchan? lol...I've picked up a pencil urchan and held it in my hand while it was crawling around. Pretty cool...but no it didn't sting.

Don't know anything about them though...lol...Just that one.

 

[Squado]

As of right now I have a pincushion urchin and my brother has the blue tuxedo. So far their have not been any problems whats so ever. Neither one has ever stung anything, ive picked on up in my hand and have not gotten pricked or anything along the lines of that. The only problem that I have come across with urchins is that they tend to knock my corals of their rocks as they move about. Almost every morning I wake up to find one of my corals on the substrate. My bubble coral even fell on my urchin once, its been a long recovery. Anyway, they are pretty peaceful and my their own business in terms of bothering other tank mates. HTH....

 

[roka64]

I have a pencil and pincushion urchin, neither one of them sting. The tuxedo does not sting. The long spine urcins are venomous. I pick up my pincushion with my bare hands. You really would have to push hard for it to break the skin. I will say, the pencil urchin will move some LR. Your list of critters look good. I do believe they are reef safe.