Pencil Urchin

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JonSolo

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jun 15, 2004
Messages
83
Location
Indianapolis IN
Hello All,

Are pencil urchins reef-safe?? I have read the description at Dr Foster's website and it states:

"During the day it will seek shelter in the rocks; at night it will come out and forage for food, looking particularly for algae lawns and smaller invertebrates like sea squirts or sponges. It can be destructive to corals."

What does "it can be destructive to corals" mean exactly?? Will it eat/nip at them? Kill them??? I currently considering purchasing a very small one (about an inch and a half in diameter).

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Jon Solo
 
I have a pencil urchin that came on some LR from liverocks.com. I asked a similar question when I first got him. From what I was told the biggest worry would be him bulldozing the corals but so far I have had no issues at all with that. Urchins will also eat your coralline, but in doing so when they take a dump they seed other parts of your tank, so it's not that bad
 
generally the destructiveness comes from them just wandering the tank and not caring what the walk on.... or if their spines knock something around..... they do try to avoid doing stuff but they generally do hit things sometimes... if everything in your tank is firmly placed it shouldnt be a problem...
 
I have about 4 or 5 of them that came with my rock and they havn't given my any problems with my frags. Mine really don't more arround that much.

ugh... my turbo snails now that another problem :D
 
I have to check my powerheads every morning. They love to climb on them at night. One day I came home to find one lying in the sand digging a big hole. 8O
Other than that, they are a cool addition to the system.
 
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