Black long spine

[burning2nd]

So, Im thinking of geting a baby long spine urchin. Do they bulldoze?

 

[estanoche]

So, Im thinking of geting a baby long spine urchin. Do they bulldoze?

Yes! Not as bad as a pincushion/tuxedo type as they don't carry frags around with them, but they will still move anything to get to good eats.

And, if they run out of algae, etc to eat, they will eat your corals......

In summary, only well fed (small) urchins are well behaved

 

[returnofsid]

Yes! Not as bad as a pincushion/tuxedo type as they don't carry frags around with them, but they will still move anything to get to good eats.

And, if they run out of algae, etc to eat, they will eat your corals......

In summary, only well fed (small) urchins are well behaved

Don't forget to explain how you give yours a "haircut."

 

[burning2nd]

Im more afaird of a rock-a-lanch dont need my tank geting shatterd cause rocks fall over


Ill keep my eyea out for a small one

 

[Chichas01]

I'd go with a tuxedo. The long spine won't pick stuff up, but it will still 'bull doze' anything not fixed in place. You will find that with all urchins. When that things gets big, I'm guessing the spines will easily protrude out of the water in a 30 gallon tank.

 

[estanoche]

I'd go with a tuxedo. The long spine won't pick stuff up, but it will still 'bull doze' anything not fixed in place. You will find that with all urchins. When that things gets big, I'm guessing the spines will easily protrude out of the water in a 30 gallon tank.

On the 30 gallon tank note, I have a 38 gallon - I initially purchased a small one (size of a dime or less), within six months his body was at least 1 inch wide, and spines spanned more than 1/3 of my 30 gallon tank. For my safety and to give my fish more room to swim in the tank I would pull him out during water changes and trim his spines off with scissors, they would usually grow back to full length within a month.

Also, once he got to this size, there was no way I could grow enough algae to keep him well fed enough to not each EVERYTHING in my tank.... (and I mean everything, SPS, LPS, Zoas, Shrooms, dead coral skeletons)

Even augmenting with chaeto from my sump (keeping a ball in the tank at all times, i eventually ran out of chaeto as my sump couldn't even grow it fast enough to feed him) could not keep him well behaved

These urchins are only good for species specific tanks (say you are breeding bengaiis and dont have any corals) or fish only. Definitely not a reef item.


On a side note: I have no idea why so many people worry about urchins bulldozing their rocks and causing avalanches... Does anyone have any proof? I would live to see pictures of a cracked tank from a urchin rock collapse (and also pictures of your rockwork, if you teter that rock on 1/2 of a branch of course it is going to fall)

Unless your tank is made up of 100% rubble rock I can't imagine an urchin even moving your rock around much at all, let alone a 5 or 10# piece of live rock, rolling it into your glass, causing your tank to break.

The only items I've experienced them moving are frags, for their personal well being, and only when the frags are first introduced. Once the spot has been claimed for awhile by the coral, there must not be anything good to eat under it anymore.

My clownfish move just as many rocks as my urchins have, just by swimming around like retards.

:stepping down from my soapbox now:

 

[MrSculpin]

On the 30 gallon tank note, I have a 38 gallon - I initially purchased a small one (size of a dime or less), within six months his body was at least 1 inch wide, and spines spanned more than 1/3 of my 30 gallon tank.

I borrowed her urchin for a tine for my 29 gallon tank. It did a wonderful job
on my hair algae. I was surprised how well it got around even so big spine wise, and how little it messed up things.

My cardinal fish LOVED it, hung around in the spines a lot.

 

[burning2nd]

ya my sig is like 5 years old... this is now a 120setup...

not really worried about the setup of the system... more conserned with the landscape and my glass

 

[maroonclown]

I've had one in my 75gal almost since I started my tank about 5 years ago. I'm guessing it is close to full size at about 12-14" across... I have had problems with it eating certain corals but it seems to leave most alone. I've been thinking about finding a new home for it but haven't been very motivated since it is one of my favorite critters in the tank... I wouldn't recommend one for anything less than a 75 gallon if you plan to keep it long. I don't give mine "haircuts" but I suppose that might be an option in a smaller tank.

 

[burning2nd]

Well ivead almost 100% switch ivr got nemo
and
his nem outta the 30 and
in to the 75 but im gonna
wait a few months b4 doing anything ill be on the look out for a baby black spine at the lfs's