Killer Urchin

[b_slate]

Today my Pencil Urchin ate one of my Scarlet Hermits!!! I don't know why but it got on top of the hermit and set for about a half hour. When the Urchin slid off the hermit, I noticed the hermit was gone....everything except for the shell and some leg partiles that the urchin was dragging behind. Anybody else have this happen???

 

[joker_ca]

i have seen my long spine urchin eat a dead firefish but never a hermit or never seen it kill anything

 

[ophiura]

I do not consider the pencil urchin to be reef safe...assuming that is the type of urchin it is (several may be called that). However, is it possible the hermit was dead? Urchins aren't real fast.

 

[batman1820]

I bought a pencil urchin and 3 scarlet hermits from this site 3 days ago and today 2 of my scarlet hermits are missing! Hmm maybe they should change "monitor with corals" to monitor with everything

 

[ophiura]

THe problem is this: were they unhealthy and eaten (especially if new, this is a problem) or were they healthy and eaten. IMO, it is not all that common for them to eat hermits if the hermits are healthy. Things that are stationary - likes zoas and such, may be eaten. I would think healthy hermits would be difficult for an urchin to catch and eat.