Purple Urchins and Reef Trouble!

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Devilishturtles

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jul 9, 2003
Messages
8,543
Location
Frederick, Maryland
So this is just a vent, and I guess a fair warning to others who have purple urchins.

I had these two guys as hitchhikers when I got my Florida liverock almost 4 or so years ago. They are about full grown now and they really are nice looking.

Well, I noticed that they love to munch on leathers...so I assumed I could keep them around with no problem, just don't put leathers in my tank. Besides knocking my corals around all the time, they are good liverock scavengers, they just don't ever touch the glass.

The other day, I noticed one climbing over a patch of zoos. I didn't have much time, but I thought "meh, maybe he's just lost" so I ignored it. Came back, and my ENTIRE frag of zoos are gone! I really liked these particular zoos...so I was perturbed. Last night, I noticed a huge chunk of my neon green zoos (a $25 piece that Fluff helped me find on a LFS outting) gone. Culprit, a purple urchin grazing over them.

Needless to say, I am in the process of setting up my QT tank again (a 10 gallon that I emptied and put away because I thought I was done adding new stuff for a while). They are going in there as soon as I can figure out how to transport them. I'm thinking I can coax them into a small critter carrier and into the tank without harming them.

Then I'm gettin' rid of those things as soon as I can. It's not like they don't have algae to eat! They just like corals better I guess. Could explain why my soft corals have just never done as well as the LPS.

Anyways, that's my long post about purple urchins eating my corals. :)
 
Bummer - I've got only one purple urchin. He picks up 3-4 emply shells and carries them around all of the time. Its kind of entertaining. He has never bothered my pulsing zenia mushrooms but they are the only corals I have so far.
 
I have this rock boring urchin that loves to go on the rocks and glass, they will eat coraline though but I have so much it grows back quickly. Had him since he was 3 spines. Sorry about your luck!
 
I`m sorry to hear that Lindsay. I had the same happen to my coral beauty and keyhole angel. Had them for 4 yrs and then they went crazy just eating every coral they could get ahold of so I do know how you feel. Again I`m sorry.
 
Thanks guys. I dunno what is up with them... I didn't get the tank set up today, ended up doing something else, and the urchin is back on top of the zoos that it mowed down a few nights ago. There as one or two polyps left out of a lot, so I don't care. I'm just kinda bummed.

Anyways, I need new algae grazers now. Since I lost my blenny to mysterious causes, and now my urchins need to go, nothing is cleaning my glass. I never realize how much work the blenny did until he is gone. That's why I don't think he starved, because he definitley had enough algae to eat. Anyways...thanks again guys.
 
Along the lines of urchins...can I tag along on this thread? I have a tuxedo and he is doing well. Had him for almost 6 months now. Does anyone feed theirs at all or just let them do their thing?
 
Mine just do their thing. I have a pencil and picusion.
 
For the most part I feel like urchins will find food on their own. I have a white pincushion and absolutely loved him. The only problems I find with urchins is that they knock over corals like theirs no tomorrow. Theres nothing like wakening up the next day and finding half your corals on the sand. Is their anyway that you could move him to a sump or fuge, thats what I wound up doing with mine......
 
Squado said:
For the most part I feel like urchins will find food on their own. I have a white pincushion and absolutely loved him. The only problems I find with urchins is that they knock over corals like theirs no tomorrow. Theres nothing like wakening up the next day and finding half your corals on the sand. Is their anyway that you could move him to a sump or fuge, thats what I wound up doing with mine......
I've only had my pencil urchin knock over anything, but my rocks are pretty well placed. Squado, any chance you can get a pic of yours? I have never seen a white one.
 
out of curiosity, why would he have to "coax" the urchin out with a carrot or whatever? cant you just grab that sucker and put it in the qt?
 
mazilla, you can't just pick urchins up. :) No place to grab without killing them, and they can stick to things pretty good. But if you get them to release, which you can do by bumping them gently , they will float into anything.

Also, it wasn't suggested to use the carrots to coax him into a container, rather to feed to the urchin.

I think I've decided to put them in a 10 gallon for now. Until I find someplace to take them.
 
wow, i didnt know that. is this a rule for ALL urchins, or are there some exceptions? how do you buy one if you cant pick it up, or do you have to wait for it to float and kinda swoop in on it? sorry for the dumb questions, i just never realized they(urchins) are this complicated. i was thinking abut getting a couple from the lfs, now i am having second thoughts.
 
You have to watch for the long spined urchins, they are venemous. Other's just be gentle when you have to pry them off of rock or the glass. I have never had a problem moving my pincushion or pencil urchins.
 
They aren't difficult at all, the exact opposite. Like I said, when I want to move mine I just keep bumping it until they let go. You can lightly touch the urchins, although best not to with your bare hands. They don't intermittently float whenever they want, they are pretty easy to move through the water when you want them to, that's what I meant. Hope that makes sense. :)
 
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