found a new hitchhiker (urchin?)

[kelly]

My wife and i were looking at the tank last nite with flashlights and found two of these some kind of urchin both about the size of a thumbnail. The pic is not the best it was about 1 am and took it with the lights off and a flash. If you can make it out can you tell me if its good or bad?

 

[mojoreef]

Hard to tell from the pic but it looks like a rock boring urchin. Does it have thick spines? and where they meet the body they have a ring around them?? If so they eat corraline and drill holes. I have a few in my tank, they keep the rock clean. But you may not want them in for the above reasons.


Mike

 

[kelly]

mojo
I found there hidey holes and can just make them out .they seem to have black bodies and pale or yellow spines as far as the spines being thick,they seem long and slim . But its hard to tell. I'd hate to pull out something thats going to be benifical but my tank has only been up for 4 mos and i dont want to lose the corralinthat is just now starting to spread good . I guess the question is what would you do?

 

[mojoreef]

I would leave it for now. They will help promote your corraline, by them eating it it causes the corraline to spore and then when the urchin poops ...well out come the spores. Thin spines and black body sound kinda like a normal long spined urchin. Let it grow and stay clear of the spines


MIke

 

[lunchie]

We had this exact same one in our tank...At first we left him! He only stayed in one area and never seemed to bother anything! He grew very rapidly and all of a sudden starting traveling all over the place. He became a nightmare!!!! Was destroying all algea growth, and you could see him eating away at the rock! To say the least, we took him out! IMO Take Him Out!

Here are some pictures of the one we had. Again, in the beginning he was not a problem but once he started traveling it became a nightmare.

 

[mojoreef]

Lunchie wouldnt you want him to eat the algae


Mike

 

[lunchie]

Yes, however, he wasn't just eating the algae he was Obliterating it and destroying the rock in the process! You could actually see pieces of rock coming off where he was. In my opinion that is not good! If I am wrong please correct me because I am by far no expert and fairly new to this hobby myself.

Thanks

 

[kelly]

Well till i see it boring holes or chewing rock and pooping sand like a parrotfish i'll let them live

 

[mojoreef]

Yea I dought this urchin will bore holes, it will scrape the rock as it grazes and poop out what it doesnt digest though.

Lunchie did you have an urching that had the thicker short spines or the multiple thin long ones?

Mike

 

[kelly]

mojo
thanks for all the information thought i'd post a pic of my tank at 4 mos .maybe i should knock on wood but i haven't had a single problem YET, unless you count an emerald crab that wouldn't eat bubble algea just pick at my zoos and leather .im in the process of eradicating all the evil crabs

 

[mojoreef]

Excellent Kelly the tank looks like its off to a great start, congrates!!!!




Mike

 

[class clown]

I wish my tank looked like that at 4 mos.. nice rock work layout! looks nice!

 

[lunchie]

Mojo,
I would have to say they were short and fat but he had quite a few of them. It was amazing how fast he grew! He went from the size of a nickel to the size of a quarter in a matter of 6-8 weeks. When he was on the rock you could actually see flakes of the rock coming off and when he moved the rock was pure white where he had been. Maybe this is normal, but it sure didn't look good and I didn't want to risk it!

Lunchie

 

[NaH2O]

Kelly - the tank looks great!

 

[mojoreef]

Yea lunchie that sounds more like a rock boring urchin. I had almost 20 in my tank when I re did the aquascaping. You are right they will eat through the rock. most folks do remove them. I got most of mine out but still have some in the tank.



Mike

 

[kelly]

thanks for the complimemts on the tank.i think i got lucky with my l/r i got it from reefer madness. it seemed realy fresh and cured quickly. hopfuly the new skimmer and ca reactor im getting will help it along even more .they should be here on thursday . next step more flow! so i'll need some help there.....