first coral, mistake?

[dianeww]

Just today I bought my first coral, a beautiful swaying green polyp. I am currently acclimating it, but a scary thing entered my mind. I have two purple spiny urchins (which I love) which came as hitchhikers on my live rock way back in April. Is this an impossible match-up? I have read that urchins will destroy corals. True? If yes, how can I move the urchins?
I have a hang-on-back refugium with nothing in it. Could they go in there temporarily? Or permanently?

 

[Fluff]

The only problem they cause is that they bulldoze through and knock stuff over. I've never had an issue with them otherwise.

 

[dianeww]

So they won't go after the coral specifically? The urchins have been in there ever since my tank was set up with live rock, this past April, and they have never been a problem. I think I remember reading that the urchins will eat the corals.

Fluff (or anybody), have you had urchins in your reef tank?

 

[Jermz79]

I currently have some a black urchin in my Nano, and as for corals ... I have Zoo's shrooms, GSp and Candy canes and the urchins haven't bothered anything!

 

[Fluff]

No, mine has never bothered any corals. There may be some coral eating species but these common purple/black ones are not the ones. The worse thing they will eat is some of your coralline algae. That was never a huge deal for me and honestly, I never seen much difference.

 

[dianeww]

I do think the urchins deplete the coraline algae, but for the most part it looks OK. I'm only concerned about the coral polyps.

 

[Fluff]

I'm only concerned about the coral polyps.

No need. Your corals will be fine.

 

[dianeww]

Thanks!!
Anyone else with first hand experience here?

 

[Stuart]

The urchins are only likely to go after the polyps and/or soft corals if they are really hungry. Unless you starve the poor things I think you're fine

Mine never ate my soft coarls - but anything green was gone within an hour.

 

[afilter]

I have two urchins in my tank and so far they have not bothered any of my corals.

 

[melosu58]

Never had a problem either

 

[Kam]

I have 6 black/purple urchins and multiple corals. No issues other than a lack of complete coralline coverage on my rocks.

 

[dianeww]

I'm encouraged, thanks all...
But how do you feed these urchins? I would gladly target -feed them some seaweed if I could figure a good method!

 

[Fluff]

You can wedge some nori/seaweed sheets between the rockwork, or use a veggie clip to hang some in there but, I don't think it's necessary to feed it.

 

[Kam]

They climb the glass to get to the nori/seaweed on my clip. Anything the Tangs dont eat (quickly) will be gone shortly.

 

[dianeww]

Unless you starve the poor things I think you're fine

OK, this all sounds good. Thanks to all. Am I starving my urchins by not target-feeding them? How would I go about target-feeding an urchin, which I would be glad to do if it would help.

Thanks, Fluff...
If I wedge the nori in the rocks, the tang and crabs get it before the urchin has a chance!!

 

[afilter]

They graze and IMO it would not be possible to stap them for doing so.