Urchins

[SaltWaterN00b]

I am now facinated by urchins, I went to H2O a little while back and saw one close up for the first time, they look awesome but i know nothing about them. Are they fish/reef safe? special diets? Can anyone recommend one?

Thank you
Patrick

 

[alrha]

my favorite is the Mespilia globulus (blue tuxedo urchin / pincushion), i have those in my tank and they have never harmed anything.

you dont need to feed the urchins, they'll just eat whatever they find around the tank (mostly algae). the main concern with them is that the bigger ones may at times decide to rearange your frags for you, oh and watch your hands in the tank, u dont want to get pricked.
also keep in mind they eat corraline algae as well.

 

[SaltWaterN00b]

my favorite is the Mespilia globulus (blue tuxedo urchin / pincushion), i have those in my tank and they have never harmed anything.

you dont need to feed the urchins, they'll just eat whatever they find around the tank (mostly algae). the main concern with them is that the bigger ones may at times decide to rearange your frags for you, oh and watch your hands in the tank, u dont want to get pricked.
also keep in mind they eat corraline algae as well.

I have a TON or coraline in my tank, is it a bad thing if the coraline gets eaten?

 

[alrha]

I have a TON or coraline in my tank, is it a bad thing if the coraline gets eaten?

its a matter of preference. some people like the colors of the coraline on their rocks, others (like myself) dont particularly care for it.

 

[LeslieS]

Urchins are pretty cool. I have 2. A multi colored pincushion that I could not find an ID for and a mine urchin that sea life florida sells as a pencil urchin. They are both pretty cool to look at, but the pin cushion is out more in the day time and moves around the tank more. The mine urchin stays in his territory and hides in the daytime.

I don't really care if they eat my coraline, but something to think about is that some people believe coraline keeps the other algaes from growing on the rocks. It makes sense as the rock only has so much surface area