sea urchin

aznnutty · 01/06/2010, 12:43 AM

is the black short spine sea urchin reef safe? long spine safe?

Flipper62 · 01/06/2010, 01:05 AM

They are Reef safe......but be careful when you stick your hand in the tank. The spines will hurt

Popeye · 01/06/2010, 08:18 AM

The long spine is safe and hardy, and will even eat algae off your rocks, but they are very disruptive in the tank - they bulldoze everything and will knock over smaller rocks and corals. They can be challenging to get out once you put them in a tank.

sfilipowski · 01/06/2010, 08:40 AM

safe and hardy, but +1 on the disruptive and bulldozer lifestyle I gave my pencil urchin away yesterday to a friend in my area. I'm sure he cleaned in my rock but he was always knocking things out of place just when I finally got it the way I liked it. they are cool but mine had to go

DC_40gallon · 01/06/2010, 09:45 AM

Mine is an algae hog! He is the Halloween urchin. Black, orange and white. His tentacles don't hurt at all. They are just sticky because he latches on to my fingers or arm when I'm near him.

Whisperer · 01/06/2010, 09:48 AM

Had to let go of my long spine because he had developed a taste for SPS and frequently see bald spots on the bases and branches of my SPS.

pudelt32 · 01/06/2010, 10:08 AM

I would be careful with short and long spine urchins. I had a long spine urchin in my 90G and it was fine for a while but then took a liking to Australian Acans so much that it wiped out an entire colony. So I figured I would go with a different urchin so I picked up a Halloween urchin b/c I think they are vey neat and needed some aglae attended but the same thing happened after some time. I think this is just a particular situation but it did not work out in my favor and I will never put another urchin in a reef.

01/06/2010, 12:43 AM	#1
aznnutty Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: northfield ohio Posts: 2,819	sea urchin is the black short spine sea urchin reef safe? long spine safe?

01/06/2010, 01:05 AM	#2
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	They are Reef safe......but be careful when you stick your hand in the tank. The spines will hurt __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

01/06/2010, 09:48 AM	#6
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	Had to let go of my long spine because he had developed a taste for SPS and frequently see bald spots on the bases and branches of my SPS. __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank

01/06/2010, 08:18 AM	#3
Popeye Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boston Posts: 90	The long spine is safe and hardy, and will even eat algae off your rocks, but they are very disruptive in the tank - they bulldoze everything and will knock over smaller rocks and corals. They can be challenging to get out once you put them in a tank.

01/06/2010, 08:40 AM	#4
sfilipowski Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: alabama Posts: 174	safe and hardy, but +1 on the disruptive and bulldozer lifestyle I gave my pencil urchin away yesterday to a friend in my area. I'm sure he cleaned in my rock but he was always knocking things out of place just when I finally got it the way I liked it. they are cool but mine had to go

01/06/2010, 09:45 AM	#5
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Mine is an algae hog! He is the Halloween urchin. Black, orange and white. His tentacles don't hurt at all. They are just sticky because he latches on to my fingers or arm when I'm near him.

01/06/2010, 10:08 AM	#7
pudelt32 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 34	I would be careful with short and long spine urchins. I had a long spine urchin in my 90G and it was fine for a while but then took a liking to Australian Acans so much that it wiped out an entire colony. So I figured I would go with a different urchin so I picked up a Halloween urchin b/c I think they are vey neat and needed some aglae attended but the same thing happened after some time. I think this is just a particular situation but it did not work out in my favor and I will never put another urchin in a reef.