Thinking about a Tuxedo Urchin

Mstark11 · 10/13/2012, 11:09 AM

And I was wondering what sort of things I would need for it?

How long should my tank have been running? I think it's been about 4 months since the start of the cycle.
Do I need pods?
My Coraline hasn't really gone anywhere in growth so should I get some supplemental feeding?
The tank is glass and i don't really have anything for it to knock over.
Is there anything else I should look out for? Are they notorious for getting sick or carrying any diseases ?

Zappo · 10/13/2012, 12:08 PM

I haven't kept an urchin yet, but I read up on tuxedo urchins a while back in preparation for picking one up. They seem to be pretty much like a giant snail. They need reasonably clean water with low nitrate, somewhere to hide during the day, and plenty of live rock to graze on at night.

Do you have much algae available? If not, I hear you can feed them nori and other dried seaweed. But if the tank is still pretty clean, you may want to wait a bit longer.

Mstark11 · 10/13/2012, 12:23 PM

I have Hair algae on one rock, and it's doing really well. I can't seem to get rid of it, so I've just left it alone, someone will benefit from it.

EllieSuz · 10/13/2012, 01:43 PM

They eat algae only. I've had one for four or five years, but my tank was pretty well established before I added it. They collect stuff off the bottom and use it for camouflage, which is cute to watch. Mine carried some zoas around for a while and he has picked up a hermit crab which needed me to rescue it. Do you get a film of green algae on the glass? If so, it will be quite happy eating that.

Mstark11 · 10/13/2012, 01:57 PM

Yea I have film on the back that's pretty much all along the bottom half. The Dwarf ceriths are having a go at it but it's not making a dent.

Palting · 10/13/2012, 02:31 PM

They are cute, and irresistable. Mine runs around carrying substrate rocks, empty shells, and even an occasional hermit crab on it's back. They love turf algae and will clean the rocks and walls, but they don't go much for the long hair ones. They can starve if your tank is too clean.

eyesinthedrk · 10/13/2012, 06:06 PM

i had one for about a year. you will need to anchor down any frag you add to the tank as they will pick them up and carry them elsewhere. as much as i loved mine i ended up giving it away after a year as we had conflicting opinions on how to decorate my tank.

10/13/2012, 11:09 AM	#1
Mstark11 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 274	Thinking about a Tuxedo Urchin And I was wondering what sort of things I would need for it? How long should my tank have been running? I think it's been about 4 months since the start of the cycle. Do I need pods? My Coraline hasn't really gone anywhere in growth so should I get some supplemental feeding? The tank is glass and i don't really have anything for it to knock over. Is there anything else I should look out for? Are they notorious for getting sick or carrying any diseases ?

10/13/2012, 01:43 PM	#4
EllieSuz Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,858	They eat algae only. I've had one for four or five years, but my tank was pretty well established before I added it. They collect stuff off the bottom and use it for camouflage, which is cute to watch. Mine carried some zoas around for a while and he has picked up a hermit crab which needed me to rescue it. Do you get a film of green algae on the glass? If so, it will be quite happy eating that. __________________ "You can't learn this hobby one question at a time." (Mr. Tuskfish) Eileen Current Tank Info: I'm out of the hobby, but used to have a60 gal. reef, refugium in sump, Internal Mag 9 return, SC 302 skimmer, two Maxi-Jet 1200's modded, four bulb T5 Lighting, Reefkeeper Lite Controller with three PC4's, Little Fishes GFO reactor.

10/13/2012, 02:31 PM	#6
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	They are cute, and irresistable. Mine runs around carrying substrate rocks, empty shells, and even an occasional hermit crab on it's back. They love turf algae and will clean the rocks and walls, but they don't go much for the long hair ones. They can starve if your tank is too clean. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

10/13/2012, 06:06 PM	#7
eyesinthedrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 675	i had one for about a year. you will need to anchor down any frag you add to the tank as they will pick them up and carry them elsewhere. as much as i loved mine i ended up giving it away after a year as we had conflicting opinions on how to decorate my tank. __________________ Everybody knows you never go full retard. Current Tank Info: SPS dominated, 125 gallon dt with 3 Apollo reef LED pendants, Apex Controler. 100 gal basement sump, 100 gallon basement fuge, euro reef skimmer, reef octopu s cr140 calcium reactor. Phos an reactor.

10/13/2012, 12:08 PM	#2
Zappo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnetonka, MN Posts: 582	I haven't kept an urchin yet, but I read up on tuxedo urchins a while back in preparation for picking one up. They seem to be pretty much like a giant snail. They need reasonably clean water with low nitrate, somewhere to hide during the day, and plenty of live rock to graze on at night. Do you have much algae available? If not, I hear you can feed them nori and other dried seaweed. But if the tank is still pretty clean, you may want to wait a bit longer.

10/13/2012, 12:23 PM	#3
Mstark11 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 274	I have Hair algae on one rock, and it's doing really well. I can't seem to get rid of it, so I've just left it alone, someone will benefit from it.

10/13/2012, 01:57 PM	#5
Mstark11 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 274	Yea I have film on the back that's pretty much all along the bottom half. The Dwarf ceriths are having a go at it but it's not making a dent.