Remove Hitchhicker Urchins??? Pics

[badfish]

I received 4 hitchhicker Urchins with my LR, I noticed that the Coraline Alage on the rocks they mainly stay on, which also gets the best light is getting severely depleted. Do you think i should remove them, all of them or some of them? If remove, how would i do that. Also, i heard that when Urchins die, they release a poison that will kill everything in the tank, is this true. Here is a link to a pic.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d828b3127cce924d2810c71300000016108AaOGjdi4Ztq

Thanks,

- Jeff

 

[Gatorfreak]

I removed all of mine. I got about 10 of them. I kept a few in my sump and they have done fine in there.

 

[steve-s]

I received 4 hitchhicker Urchins with my LR, I noticed that the Coraline Alage on the rocks they mainly stay on, which also gets the best light is getting severely depleted. Do you think i should remove them, all of them or some of them? If remove, how would i do that.

As long as you have no coral in the tank they are of little concern. Small immature urchins will feed on just about anything they can chew. As they mature their tastes will be primarily for algaes. With this guy though it is a rock boring species and loves coralline. The larger it gets, the more it will strip the rock so they will need to go in a year or so.

The easiest way to remove them unharmed is to wait until lights out when they're most active and quickly nudge them from the side with a plastic spoon or similar. Do not try prying them off or lifting them. They have an amazingly strong grip. They are easily knocked to the side and should not be damaged. Put them in a fuge or sump unless your LFS will take them. They most likely won't give you much if anything but IMO, worth the effort. Use a plastic food grade container to return/transport them.

Also, i heard that when Urchins die, they release a poison that will kill everything in the tank, is this true. Here is a link to a pic.

As with anything it greatly depends on tank size and animal maturity but in general this is not true. They can definately foul the water quality if left to "the forces of nature".

Cheers
Steve

 

[badfish]

thanks guys, when i add coral in a couple of months, ill be sure to remove them all.

 

[Oceanicsublimat]

what would they eat in the sump? only thing living in there are pods..

 

[badfish]

i personally dont have a sump but most people keep LR in there sump, they would probably feed off the LR.

 

[Fluff]

I got 13 of these on my first live rock. I kept them to adult size then sold them to lfs for 3bucks each. (better than what I expected) They were never a problem. They did eat some coralline but even in such numbers, not enough to really concern me. I did eventually get rid of all but one just because I was worried there wouldn't be enough food for them all and they are clumsy. That's the biggest issue I have with the one I have left. If a coral isn't glued down well, it's usually on the bottom of the tank by morning.

 

[gilraen]

you can mail them to me, I love urchins!!

 

[MadManMac]

If one of these little *beep* would eat the coarline off the side of my sump so I could see in it I would buy two!

 

[Mrbill]

I bought two urchins to help with a massive hair algae problem. I scrubbed the rocks clean, and added the two urchins and my tank has been very clean since then (about a month). However, my LR is slowly losing the coraline. It's ok by me, I prefer plain looking LR over a hair algae farm anyday.

 

[pearsont74]

if you want to get rid of them let me know cause i wouldnt mind having a few

 

[badfish]

My urchins havent left the rocks yet, or at least i havent seen them leave the rocks. I think im gonna hang on to them for a little while, Ill be sure to post when i want to get rid of them and whoever wants them can have them. But it prob. wont be for a couple months.

 

[Fluff]

They will climb the glass. It's and awesome thing to watch. They are more active at night though. Keep watching.

 

[GoodFish]

I only have one should that be a problem?/ or should i get rid of it once i get coral n such???

 

[Fluff]

I have one in my reef and it's never been a problem with the corals. Other than knocking small ones off that aren't attached well.

 

[Kam]

I read that the amount of coralline that a sea urchin eats is not as much as you would expect and that they actually benefit coralline growth as their "poop" still has coralline in it and helps it spread in the tank.

BTW, I have 3 purple colored urchins named small, medium and large (kids named them).

 

[badfish]

well, i just got my first corals, zoos and polyps, should i be worried of them eating my corals?

 

[Fluff]

My common urchin has never bothered my corals except to knock them off the rocks if they weren't attached well.

 

[badfish]

Once again, thanks Cindy, your always quick to respond. Thanks again.

 

[seaham358]

from what I have read about them they will not eat corals, but like others said they can knock them over.... Remember with any critter we get their are always exceptions.