Urchin in a reef?

OneArmedBandit · 01/14/2008, 02:54 PM

My wife and I went to the LFS last weekend for some more LR and while searching for the "right" pieces she noticed a pincushion urchin and asked if we could get it. My tank is no where near ready for livestock so I told her we'd have to wait. Are urchins beneficial for reefs? I mostly looking at slowly stocking my tank with a clean-up-crew, Yellow Head Jawfish (or Midas Blenny) and maybe a shrimp when the time comes. Of course, that's on top of a few LPS. -Steve

Steelslinger75 · 01/14/2008, 03:31 PM

I had 3 urchins in my 210 and never had a problem with them. They do eat coraline, but I figured that the three of them cant do that much damage. Never had a problem with them. I personally think that are a cool addition to the reef.

scrmbld33 · 01/14/2008, 03:37 PM

i have a long spine, and a few rock boring that came as hitchikers, never did any damage but the long spine is really big and knocks over frags so i will be getting rid of him for a small one

mouscacha · 01/14/2008, 04:00 PM

I have a couple urchins which don't do much. When they do something, it's pretty cool. When I first brought him home, he would climb the glass trying to find a place to put himself in. I got to see what his mouth looks like when he's eating. Pretty gross and neat at the same time.

Sk8r · 01/14/2008, 04:08 PM

They grow fast. They do shove rock, so use reef putty on anything tippy.

OneArmedBandit · 01/14/2008, 04:21 PM

Thanks for the replys, the wife will be happy. -Steve

cardiffgiant · 01/14/2008, 05:17 PM

I've got a long spine and a pin cushin. No problems here, other than having to retrieve things from the pin cushion (nails, hermit crabs, thermometer, feeding clip, frags... anything that's not nailed down).

kware · 01/14/2008, 05:19 PM

I have a pencil urchen and he eats everything but coraline. It eats green algae off the top of the coraline. Good tank cleaner.

fish tanked · 01/14/2008, 06:24 PM

i got a purple urchin. he does great. I only see him once in a while early morning though.

mwwhite · 01/14/2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cardiffgiant
I've got a long spine and a pin cushin. No problems here, other than having to retrieve things from the pin cushion (nails, hermit crabs, thermometer, feeding clip, frags... anything that's not nailed down).

That's funny and so true - we have the pincushion and a tuxedo urchin - between the two of them I'm always retrieving things from them, little hermits upside down with their little legs going a mile a minute, mushroom frags.... not had the feeding clip though.....yet!

lol

Steelslinger75 · 01/14/2008, 08:44 PM

My pincushij would grab anything and everything around the tanks. It loved my zoa frags and feeding clips.

Chad Vossen · 01/14/2008, 08:53 PM

i had a pencil urchin, it left a nice trail of bare rock on my nice purple piece of live rock. after seeing the damage to my coralline algae, i sent it to the sump.

JENnKerry · 01/15/2008, 06:05 AM

The tuxedo's stay relatively small, I think only topping off at around 3" in diameter. Very cool, colorful addition to any reef.

JENnKerry · 01/15/2008, 06:08 AM

I should also probably add that I've had mine for over two years and he's still the same size. Maybe a little bigger, but not by much.

FOSELONE · 01/15/2008, 07:13 AM

i had some as well in my last acrylic tank...they chewed up the front glass when i was lazy to scrub the tank of algae...so be carefull...ill never go with urchins again for that reason...

Dino · 01/15/2008, 07:21 AM

I have a tuxedo urchin and I love him. "He's" always crawling around the tank eating algae, never has bothered a thing. Plus its sort of amusing watching his little sticky arms come out and grab things, especially when its a hermit. Little hermit crab clawing away at the rock trying to yank itself free and the urchin just marches on covered in hermits, shells, stray bits of algae...

skinnykenny · 01/15/2008, 08:21 AM

My pencil urchin got on top of my chocolate chip star and ate hunks out of him. I found him and removed him but the star died within a week. I have also seen the photos of an unchin chewing through the cord on a heater and frying itself along with some other tank critters. I don't think that they are worth the risk.

01/14/2008, 02:54 PM	#1
OneArmedBandit Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Utica, MI Posts: 142	Urchin in a reef? My wife and I went to the LFS last weekend for some more LR and while searching for the "right" pieces she noticed a pincushion urchin and asked if we could get it. My tank is no where near ready for livestock so I told her we'd have to wait. Are urchins beneficial for reefs? I mostly looking at slowly stocking my tank with a clean-up-crew, Yellow Head Jawfish (or Midas Blenny) and maybe a shrimp when the time comes. Of course, that's on top of a few LPS. -Steve

01/14/2008, 03:37 PM	#3
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	i have a long spine, and a few rock boring that came as hitchikers, never did any damage but the long spine is really big and knocks over frags so i will be getting rid of him for a small one __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

01/14/2008, 04:08 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	They grow fast. They do shove rock, so use reef putty on anything tippy. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/14/2008, 08:53 PM	#12
Chad Vossen Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota Posts: 1,313	i had a pencil urchin, it left a nice trail of bare rock on my nice purple piece of live rock. after seeing the damage to my coralline algae, i sent it to the sump. __________________ Chad Vossen Current Tank Info: just a bunch of fish :)

01/15/2008, 06:05 AM	#13
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	The tuxedo's stay relatively small, I think only topping off at around 3" in diameter. Very cool, colorful addition to any reef. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

01/14/2008, 03:31 PM	#2
Steelslinger75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Amherst, OH Posts: 371	I had 3 urchins in my 210 and never had a problem with them. They do eat coraline, but I figured that the three of them cant do that much damage. Never had a problem with them. I personally think that are a cool addition to the reef.

01/14/2008, 04:00 PM	#4
mouscacha Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 348	I have a couple urchins which don't do much. When they do something, it's pretty cool. When I first brought him home, he would climb the glass trying to find a place to put himself in. I got to see what his mouth looks like when he's eating. Pretty gross and neat at the same time.

01/14/2008, 04:21 PM	#6
OneArmedBandit Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Utica, MI Posts: 142	Thanks for the replys, the wife will be happy. -Steve

01/14/2008, 05:17 PM	#7
cardiffgiant Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa Posts: 3,455	I've got a long spine and a pin cushin. No problems here, other than having to retrieve things from the pin cushion (nails, hermit crabs, thermometer, feeding clip, frags... anything that's not nailed down).

01/14/2008, 05:19 PM	#8
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	I have a pencil urchen and he eats everything but coraline. It eats green algae off the top of the coraline. Good tank cleaner.

01/14/2008, 06:24 PM	#9
fish tanked Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 64	i got a purple urchin. he does great. I only see him once in a while early morning though.

01/14/2008, 08:44 PM	#11
Steelslinger75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Amherst, OH Posts: 371	My pincushij would grab anything and everything around the tanks. It loved my zoa frags and feeding clips.

01/15/2008, 06:08 AM	#14
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	I should also probably add that I've had mine for over two years and he's still the same size. Maybe a little bigger, but not by much. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

01/15/2008, 07:13 AM	#15
FOSELONE THINK BLUE Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LOS ANGELES CA Posts: 4,865	i had some as well in my last acrylic tank...they chewed up the front glass when i was lazy to scrub the tank of algae...so be carefull...ill never go with urchins again for that reason...

01/15/2008, 07:21 AM	#16
Dino Freak of Nature Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Finding my way back to the boondocks Posts: 11,048	I have a tuxedo urchin and I love him. "He's" always crawling around the tank eating algae, never has bothered a thing. Plus its sort of amusing watching his little sticky arms come out and grab things, especially when its a hermit. Little hermit crab clawing away at the rock trying to yank itself free and the urchin just marches on covered in hermits, shells, stray bits of algae... __________________ Cody I will love and miss you until the last beat of my heart Harley & Rusty.

01/15/2008, 08:21 AM	#17
skinnykenny Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lima, Ohio Posts: 34	My pencil urchin got on top of my chocolate chip star and ate hunks out of him. I found him and removed him but the star died within a week. I have also seen the photos of an unchin chewing through the cord on a heater and frying itself along with some other tank critters. I don't think that they are worth the risk. __________________ Your Friendly Photographer Current Tank Info: 55 gallon FOWLR