Urchins - Who has them?

[Chichas01]

I'm thinking of getting an urchin, a small Blue Tuxedo, to help devour some super coarse red turf-like algae that is cover some of my rocks. My concern is that the urchin will possibly do damage to the acrylic. I don't let the algae build up on the viewing panes, but you just never know if that would be enough to disuade the urchin from trying to eat off of them. So is anyone keeping one in their acrylic tank?

here is a cool article on how hard and sharp their teeth are if anyone is interested:
http://www.icr.org/article/sea-urchin-teeth-are-designed-grind/

 

[reedman]

I have seen a tank that has the chew marks from an urchin. They are very cool animals but have hazards. Besides the potential for acrylic damage, they will also move things that are not secured in the tank including some of the rockwork. They also require a constant source of food....they prefer your coraline algae so be aware that they will eat it. I have kept a variety of urchins in the past for algae control and they are fantastic animals, but I have not had long term success. They typically starve at some point and just waste away (literally). I do not plan to keep any in the future for this reason....though I will miss having them.

Do your research on them for sure. Glad you are asking before buying.....smart move.

 

[Chichas01]

Thanks reedaman. I've heard they will eat coraline as well as the algae you don't want. My understanding is that by eating the coraline, this actually encourages more coraline algae growth. So I'd be ok with an urchin consuming some of the coraline as long as the stuff I don't want goes with it.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I've heard they will eat coraline as well as the algae you don't want. My understanding is that by eating the coraline, this actually encourages more coraline algae growth. So I'd be ok with an urchin consuming some of the coraline as long as the stuff I don't want goes with it.

You are correct. More important, by grazing they keep the rock open, breathing, and doing it's job.

 

[ReefMadness]

yeah urchins are not a good idea, they will tear up your tank.

 

[MrSculpin]

You are correct. More important, by grazing they keep the rock open, breathing, and doing it's job.

My urchin does a good job. It is slow at it tho. It prefers the back wall of the 75 gallon its in, and there is still a lot of coraline. I have to scrape it in the corners of the front of the tank.
I got it to help with the hair algae. They do knock somethings over sometimes but not enough to bother me.
I borrowed a long spine from a fellow reefer and talk about mowing things over.. Actually it ate the hair algae up.

 

[vvizz4rcl]

is there one species better then other maybe,because i was all so looking to get an urchin.

 

[MrSculpin]

is there one species better then other maybe,because i was all so looking to get an urchin.

I dont know about that, I have had both the blue and red tuxedo ones.. and borrowed the long spine.
One red seemed to like the rocks and algae best and moved all over the tank.
It was a "knock over things" guy. The long spine was all over but too big for my little 29 gallon, I had to trim its spines..

the second red doesn't seem to knock much over, doesn't travel off the back glass a lot or seem to like hair algae.

 

[Chichas01]

Great info guys thanks. My main concern here is possible damage to the acrylic. Specifically with the tuxedo urchins. Anyone experience that? I'm ok with a little bulldozing if that happens.

 

[veralteaquatics]

I have never had an urchin scratch a tank and the big coraline damages normally come from the long spines. I'm sure you'd be fine with the Tuxedos. The knocking stuff over is another thing the long spines do with ease as well.

 

[TheNobleSavage]

I have 2 Blue/brown Tuxedo Urchins and no problems in my 29 Nano tank. They pick up all sorts of crap and look like a decorator crab. I had one with some green polyps on it for a while. They are cool to watch!! They also do a good job with algae.