urchins, what i need to know

BigReefing · 02/02/2006, 06:23 PM

I have read about them, however I have a bare bottom tank. What do i need to know. My books don't give to much info. In my tank I have just clams and anemone. I have a 100 gallon tank, 250 mh. Moderate turnover.

integlikewhoa · 02/02/2006, 06:25 PM

Well i never had one but from what i have read. They will eat your coriline and probley knock over any frags if you have any. Im not sure if youll have a problem with what you have. Hopefully someone else can fill in the blanks.

Sports Girl · 02/02/2006, 06:27 PM

What do you want to know? They don't necessarily need a sand bed, I believe most eat CA. That's all mine eat; pink spined and tuxedo. I have anemones and corals, but no clams and they are completely safe. They can knock loose rockwork around, they're kind of awkward. What else...?

BigReefing · 02/02/2006, 06:27 PM

wow they do that, heck i dont want one then.

NoSchwag · 02/02/2006, 06:57 PM

mine never had a sandbed..

I can tell you that my black longspine and my fire urchin like to eat snails, never really caught my tuxido, but I'm sure he does sometimes.

I know they like good water quailty. If your water quality is off, they'll lose their spines. When I first started my tank my nitrates shot up a little and they lost a few spines.

They will bulldose. I always wake up to unmounted frags on the ground.

Everything sticks to the tuxido's back. I am consitantly saving snails and frags from his back.

I also know they grow quick, this is 3.5 months.

Alaskan Reefer · 02/03/2006, 04:41 AM

I have a largish black long spine -- they are good algae eaters. They do eat coralline, but for me the act of eating it spread the spores so fast that it grew back faster elsewhere. Very interesting critter. They will bulldoze loose rock or frags and you have to be very careful and look for them before sticking your hands in -- getting spined feels like a bee sting (or 8 the last time I did it) and the barbs break off in your skin so it lasts a while...

02/02/2006, 06:23 PM	#1
BigReefing Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 454	urchins, what i need to know I have read about them, however I have a bare bottom tank. What do i need to know. My books don't give to much info. In my tank I have just clams and anemone. I have a 100 gallon tank, 250 mh. Moderate turnover.

02/02/2006, 06:25 PM	#2
integlikewhoa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 1,381	Well i never had one but from what i have read. They will eat your coriline and probley knock over any frags if you have any. Im not sure if youll have a problem with what you have. Hopefully someone else can fill in the blanks. __________________ I think of one later. Current Tank Info: 28G JBJ Nano for sale

02/02/2006, 06:57 PM	#5
NoSchwag Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterbury, Ct. Posts: 2,530	mine never had a sandbed.. I can tell you that my black longspine and my fire urchin like to eat snails, never really caught my tuxido, but I'm sure he does sometimes. I know they like good water quailty. If your water quality is off, they'll lose their spines. When I first started my tank my nitrates shot up a little and they lost a few spines. They will bulldose. I always wake up to unmounted frags on the ground. Everything sticks to the tuxido's back. I am consitantly saving snails and frags from his back. I also know they grow quick, this is 3.5 months. __________________ Keeping low levels of po4 without chemicals since 2005. Current Tank Info: Beckett skimmed, penductor flowed, luminarc lighted, UV sterilized, litermeter dosed, Aquacontroller controlled, SPS dominated, 120 BB tank.

02/03/2006, 04:41 AM	#6
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	I have a largish black long spine -- they are good algae eaters. They do eat coralline, but for me the act of eating it spread the spores so fast that it grew back faster elsewhere. Very interesting critter. They will bulldoze loose rock or frags and you have to be very careful and look for them before sticking your hands in -- getting spined feels like a bee sting (or 8 the last time I did it) and the barbs break off in your skin so it lasts a while... __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress

02/02/2006, 06:27 PM	#3
Sports Girl Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Turlock, Ca. Posts: 369	What do you want to know? They don't necessarily need a sand bed, I believe most eat CA. That's all mine eat; pink spined and tuxedo. I have anemones and corals, but no clams and they are completely safe. They can knock loose rockwork around, they're kind of awkward. What else...?