Tuxedo Urchin Movement?

meverha1 · 02/21/2017, 06:14 AM

Curious to hear from other tuxedo urchin owners... how much does your urchin move?

I added one to my tank on Sunday - placed him on a rock that was covered in hair algae. So far it's moved about an inch. However, the short little trail behind the urchin is totally stripped of hair algae and the rock is pure white so it's eating. It also hasn't lost any spines.

Is low movement normal?

mcgyvr · 02/21/2017, 06:23 AM

Sounds totally fine.. Its got a spot where its happy/eating as proven by the trial of white..

If your main motivation in life was eating and the fast food joint was open 24 hours having a free buffet would you leave there?

heathlindner25 · 02/21/2017, 06:24 AM

No reason to move around with plenty of food at hand.

GimpyFin · 02/21/2017, 08:49 AM

I agree, they'll just kinda move around for food as they see fit. Hanging in one place for a while is common. I have four different urchins including a tuxedo and they're all like that.

meverha1 · 02/21/2017, 09:56 AM

Good to know. I wasn't sure if it should be moving around a lot or not.

nogascans · 02/21/2017, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Sounds totally fine.. Its got a spot where its happy/eating as proven by the trial of white..

If your main motivation in life was eating and the fast food joint was open 24 hours having a free buffet would you leave there?

thegrun · 02/21/2017, 10:21 AM

Mine moves around a lot, but I don't have much algae for it to eat and it has to travel far to find any.

BlackTip · 02/21/2017, 11:41 AM

I am interested in adding one of two of those guys. I don't have much algae on rocks, but I have some in the back glass where I can't reach to clean.

Can they climb on glass?
Will they knockoff small frags?

mcgyvr · 02/21/2017, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackTip

Can they climb on glass?
Will they knockoff small frags?

Absolutely Yes and Yes

dweber618 · 02/21/2017, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackTip

I am interested in adding one of two of those guys. I don't have much algae on rocks, but I have some in the back glass where I can't reach to clean.

Can they climb on glass?
Will they knockoff small frags?

Yes, and yes.

meverha1 · 02/21/2017, 11:47 AM

I've heard that tuxedo urchins are less prone to knocking over rocks and frags than other urchins. However, they have been known to pick up a frag and "wear" it for awhile.

BlackTip · 02/21/2017, 11:51 AM

I shall wait until the corals are established then....

steallife904 · 02/21/2017, 12:02 PM

my tux will pick up hermit crabs sometime and wear them like a hat.... its funny.

mcgyvr · 02/21/2017, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steallife904

my tux will pick up hermit crabs sometime and wear them like a hat.... its funny.

floating thermometer is my favorite.. It will eventually let go and it rockets to the surface..
A little dragons breath macro.. probably a snail shell or 2 on the back side..

white_Rubicon · 02/21/2017, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

floating thermometer is my favorite.. It will eventually let go and it rockets to the surface..
A little dragons breath macro.. probably a snail shell or 2 on the back side..

That is one of the coolest pictures I've seen lol.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

leheath · 02/21/2017, 11:38 PM

I have 2 tuxedo urchins and they don't seem especially prone to knocking frags over. One is rather young/small (~1.25" in diameter) while the other is larger (~1.75" diameter). They both move around a fair bit, but will stay in one place a while if they find something they really like. The large one spends equal time on rock and glass. So far, mine have only decorated themselves with small things like a carbon pellet (not sure where he found that!), bits of algae, and small shells or sand particles. They are super cool creatures!

SycoCell · 02/22/2017, 04:13 AM

Mine sat on the same set of rocks for a week or two. He's now just venturing off and exploring.

schnebbles · 02/22/2017, 08:05 AM

I love mine, he moves around a lot. My tank is only 4 months old so he probably has to to find food but he's the coolest thing. I am glad he survived my tank crash. He doesn't dress up much, only picks up gravel from the tank floor on occasion. I wish he would because I think it's funny.

McGyver - I love that pic!

alcimedes · 02/22/2017, 04:11 PM

mine probably moves about a foot an hour. super fascinating to watch. Once and a while it seems to find a rock it really likes and camps out, but i don't think I've ever seen mine in the same spot even 3 hours apart.

meverha1 · 02/22/2017, 04:19 PM

I'm dealing with a fairly significant hair algae issue so mine hasn't moved off the rock I initially placed it on but that rock is slowly becoming almost perfectly clean.

Thinking about picking up a 2nd urchin as my 110 gallon tank should be able to support 2, even when the initial hair algae issue is solved.

02/21/2017, 06:14 AM	#1
meverha1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 273	Tuxedo Urchin Movement? Curious to hear from other tuxedo urchin owners... how much does your urchin move? I added one to my tank on Sunday - placed him on a rock that was covered in hair algae. So far it's moved about an inch. However, the short little trail behind the urchin is totally stripped of hair algae and the rock is pure white so it's eating. It also hasn't lost any spines. Is low movement normal?

02/21/2017, 06:23 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Sounds totally fine.. Its got a spot where its happy/eating as proven by the trial of white.. If your main motivation in life was eating and the fast food joint was open 24 hours having a free buffet would you leave there? __________________ Who me?

02/21/2017, 08:49 AM	#4
GimpyFin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,032	I agree, they'll just kinda move around for food as they see fit. Hanging in one place for a while is common. I have four different urchins including a tuxedo and they're all like that. __________________ Brian Current Tank Info: 110 gallon

02/21/2017, 11:41 AM	#8
BlackTip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 1,598	I am interested in adding one of two of those guys. I don't have much algae on rocks, but I have some in the back glass where I can't reach to clean. Can they climb on glass? Will they knockoff small frags? __________________ 325G DT. 100G sump. In-sump refugium. SRO-5000SSS. 2 Gyres 150. 2 Water Blaster HY-5000. 2 Razor 320W. Apex Gold. MR2 GFO. 2 800W Heaters. Tunze Osmolater. 2 20g-long QT tanks. Geo 624 CA. 80W UV

02/21/2017, 11:51 AM	#12
BlackTip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 1,598	I shall wait until the corals are established then.... __________________ 325G DT. 100G sump. In-sump refugium. SRO-5000SSS. 2 Gyres 150. 2 Water Blaster HY-5000. 2 Razor 320W. Apex Gold. MR2 GFO. 2 800W Heaters. Tunze Osmolater. 2 20g-long QT tanks. Geo 624 CA. 80W UV

02/21/2017, 06:24 AM	#3
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	No reason to move around with plenty of food at hand.

02/21/2017, 09:56 AM	#5
meverha1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 273	Good to know. I wasn't sure if it should be moving around a lot or not.

02/21/2017, 10:21 AM	#7
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Mine moves around a lot, but I don't have much algae for it to eat and it has to travel far to find any.

02/21/2017, 11:47 AM	#11
meverha1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 273	I've heard that tuxedo urchins are less prone to knocking over rocks and frags than other urchins. However, they have been known to pick up a frag and "wear" it for awhile.

02/21/2017, 12:02 PM	#13
steallife904 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 944	my tux will pick up hermit crabs sometime and wear them like a hat.... its funny.

02/21/2017, 11:38 PM	#16
leheath Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,472	I have 2 tuxedo urchins and they don't seem especially prone to knocking frags over. One is rather young/small (~1.25" in diameter) while the other is larger (~1.75" diameter). They both move around a fair bit, but will stay in one place a while if they find something they really like. The large one spends equal time on rock and glass. So far, mine have only decorated themselves with small things like a carbon pellet (not sure where he found that!), bits of algae, and small shells or sand particles. They are super cool creatures! __________________ "May the wind always be at your back, the sun upon your face, and may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars" - Johnny Depp in the movie 'Blow' Current Tank Info: 75g reef, 55g sump with chaeto refugium section, Mag9.5 pump, 2 M620 Rio Seios, no skimmer, 4x54W T5, ~80lbs LR, 2 clown fish, yellow assessor, 2 tuxedo urchins, selection of LPS and soft corals, lots of inverts!

02/22/2017, 04:13 AM	#17
SycoCell Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 187	Mine sat on the same set of rocks for a week or two. He's now just venturing off and exploring. __________________ 125g long DT, RS-200 Sump, Reef Octo 150 Skimmer, Full apex automation PS, I'm a newb so take my suggestions with a grain of reef salt

02/22/2017, 08:05 AM	#18
schnebbles Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 475	I love mine, he moves around a lot. My tank is only 4 months old so he probably has to to find food but he's the coolest thing. I am glad he survived my tank crash. He doesn't dress up much, only picks up gravel from the tank floor on occasion. I wish he would because I think it's funny. McGyver - I love that pic!

02/22/2017, 04:11 PM	#19
alcimedes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 174	mine probably moves about a foot an hour. super fascinating to watch. Once and a while it seems to find a rock it really likes and camps out, but i don't think I've ever seen mine in the same spot even 3 hours apart.

02/22/2017, 04:19 PM	#20
meverha1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 273	I'm dealing with a fairly significant hair algae issue so mine hasn't moved off the rock I initially placed it on but that rock is slowly becoming almost perfectly clean. Thinking about picking up a 2nd urchin as my 110 gallon tank should be able to support 2, even when the initial hair algae issue is solved.