Reef safe urchin??

[austinsdad]

I think I want one. Tuxedo? Other? Will any do in a reef tank?

 

[melosu58]

According to Mr. Liveaquaria he is.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=595

 

[Hara]

All these listed here are reef safe
http://www.fantasyreef.com/database/index.php?p=getcat&db_id=1&cat_id=12

 

[Finatic]

I have a Pencil and he adds allot of character to the tank. Haven't had him knock over any corals like some do.

 

[afilter]

I went with a black long spine which I have had for about 18 months now. Probably stay away from pencil or pin cussion/tuxedo IMO as they can strip your coraline growth down pretty good and tend to knock down rock work. Mine even occassionally knocks something over.

Even with your 155g I would not go with more than a couple to start with.

Otherwise all are reef compatible.

HTH,

 

[roka64]

I would stay away from the pencil, mine wedges in/under/between rocks and causes them to move. In a reef tank, I don't think you would want that to happen. I would go with the tuxedo, for the color, it looks like they are simillar to the pincushion and may have the feelers or tentacles. Be careful, they like to grab stuff and take it with them. You can see a few pics in my gallery. Mine took off with my old hydrometer for about half the day. He didn't pull it off the glass, it had just fallen. My fav was him lugging an empty shell with a bristleworm in it! LOL! They will also grab snails....

+++EDIT+++
They will chew the coraline off of your LR.

 

[afilter]

+++EDIT+++
They will chew the coraline off of your LR.

Yeah this was my major concern with the tuxedo/pin cushion. After spending months to grow coraline they can strip it off pretty fast. I saw some rock at LFS that had a white swaths cut through it from the urchins. They do not just nibble at the algea, but completely remove giving the rock almost a bleached look. Great for glass not so much for LR.

 

[roka64]

I agree, but mine seems to grow back rather quickly. I think that is their teeth marks. I have two in mine, no problems. It's funny to look at one and turn around to do somethins, and it's already moved halfway around the tank.
Afilter, do the long spined ones have the tentacles and do they point in the direction of anything that they think is a threat?

 

[afilter]

Afilter, do the long spined ones have the tentacles and do they point in the direction of anything that they think is a threat?

If by tenacles you mean the long spines then yes. And yes they have the ability to move them in a direction if threatned. You need to be careful working in close quarters as getting poked and having one break off is no fun. 8O

 

[roka64]

My pincushion has little sticky tentacles, if you look at mine, you can see white spots inbetween the spines. Those streatch out and grab stuff, I believe they use them to pull themselves. I gues the long spines don't have those...interesting. I have tried to get a closer pic, but they are small....

 

[Finatic]

All

I love my Pencil urchin and I have semi-reef with allot of interlocking rockwork and some corals not epoxied to rock. I have not had any issues with my guy and he is pretty sizeable in a 55gal.

But each specimen is different and I am lucky so far.

As for the coraline algae, yeah, I can tell where he has been, but it grows back pretty quickly and doesn't really phase the look of my tank. I just wish he would eat the coraline off the glass, LOL. But from what I have read, the urchin actually helps to spread coraline algae thoughout the tank b/c their droppings still have the algae in it and it starts to grow as well.

Anyway, to each his own, I was too much of a wimp for the Long Spine urchin, and liked the look of the Pencil. Looks to me like something from another planet.

Enjoy, I would recommend one.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I just wanted to add that I have 2 purple urchins (common urchins) in my tank, that I sorta wish I never acquired. Mine loves leather corals, and I see him all the time perched up on top of my frag, rasping away at it. When he gets off, there is a nice little white spot on the top of it. I've also noticed it cruising through my yellow polyps and zoos. My tank is practically devoid of coraline algae, and unless I triple epoxy something to the rock, it's coming off beause of my klutzy urchins. The other night, I found it chugging away over my new ricordea polyp.

So my advice, stay away from the purple urchins. And if anybody has a FOWLR tank and wants one, just let me know. lol.