Just found an urchin in my tank!!

[austinsdad]

Prolly been there over a year. Maybe 3/4" big. Moved a ricordia rock and saw this thing with the actinics.

Tried to get him, but no go. He's a gripper. Wonderin if when he gets to be more full grown, will I tire of him knocking my rocks over.

Thought it was a pencil urchin but mine has pointed spines. Pencil's have more flat tipped spines.

Guess if I put the rock in FW, he'll drop. Do I want this guy?!?!

 

[roka64]

They have sharp spines when one falls off and the new ones grows in. Min doesn't move my rock much anymore. Just make sure your rocks are firmly placed. If he starts mobing stuff take him back to the LFS.....

 

[austinsdad]

So you think it's a pencil urchin?

 

[roka64]

It certainly looks like one, judging by the thickness of the spines and the coloring.

 

[melosu58]

FantasyReef Databases-Viewing item "Pencil Urchin"

 

[austinsdad]

Common urchin. Lisa says.

Looks like cross to me. Dunno.

 

[johnmaloney]

its a rock boring urchin, it eats algae-keep it. Can sting if spines pierce skin. It is painful-be careful.

 

[Hara]

I have had both Pencil and the common purple urchin. The spines don't look thick enough from that picture to be a pencil. Pencil Urchins spines are thick all the way to the tip.

 

[roka64]

I stand corrected. Here is a little on Rock Boring Urchins http://www.waquarium.org/MLP/root/html/MarineLife/Invertebrates/Echinoderms/Rock-boringUrchin.html.

 

[roka64]

I know the long spined urchins have toxins in their spines, but I can't seem to find any references to the rock boring one having them.

 

[johnmaloney]

I have been stung by them. Trust me, it hurts, about as bad as a bee sting. They don't usually pierce the skin though unless you put a good amount of pressure on them. I stepped on one, (they are extremely common in S. Florida), and it got me pretty good. Must remember to rock shoes when in water....Great find. By the way, in time they will get pretty big.