Mushroom riding Urchin??

praxithea

praxithea

New Member
I have a mushroom coral that I placed on a rock about midway in my tank. It keeps getting picked up by my sea urchin and I see it riding around the tank. I take it off and put it back but this has happened a couple times.
Should I keep putting it back or let it ride? I don't know very much about how these move to their best location. Any info or links are appreciated...
Also my receipt said "Umbrella Mushroom coral". Is this right? It is brown with green spots and little "legs" coming off the edge of the main circle.
 
psusocr1

psusocr1

Active Member
IMO let it go,, it will relocate the coral somewhere where it will attach itself.
urchins are a pain in the butt inta reef tank because theyc ollect everythign on their backs muich liek decorater crabs, constantly moving things around on you ,,and they also eat your coraline!
 
birdmom

birdmom

Member
That kind of funny! He just riding around the tank.. LOL
Part of me would like to say just let him ride.. I doubt that the urchin
is picking it up intentionaly. For whatever reason it is unhappy with the placement you have chosen & is taking advantage of the ride to look for
a home.
I do not think that you should let it stay on the urchin because sooner or later the urchin is going to get close to an intake & the mushroom is likely to
get sucked in.
You need to secure the mushroom to a rock by using some mesh type material & secure it on the rock with the mushroom underneath.
My prefered method is to pick a rock with a fairly smoother area. Then allow a fair area for it to find the right spot & secure the mesh with rubber bands. Leave it on until it is secure (the mushroom) some say a week but I leave mine in place for a month just to be sure..
That may not always work the first time... If it lets loose again. try another area of rock & different placement in the tank.. I have had one that took 2mo before it stopped letting go..
Just my opinion & nothing else....
Hugs! Birdmom
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
if it makes you feel any better, I have a traveling Kenya tree on the back of my little urchin. Annoying if you let it get to you, but I do think it is absolutly intentional on the urchin's part about picking up items. odds are he will continue to pick up the exact same items if allowed to. So if it bothers you, then perhaps take him out of the reef, otherwise you will be annoyed weekly with his re-decorating antics.
 
birdmom

birdmom

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
if it makes you feel any better, I have a traveling Kenya tree on the back of my little urchin. Annoying if you let it get to you, but I do think it is absolutly intentional on the urchin's part about picking up items. odds are he will continue to pick up the exact same items if allowed to. So if it bothers you, then perhaps take him out of the reef, otherwise you will be annoyed weekly with his re-decorating antics.
LOL!
Not to offend....please search the brain & nervous system & how it relates to an urchin & Kenya....
Let me know what you find.....
Clue: the above do not have....... But do have.......
therefore... they must rely upon.......... in order to.....
Take care & Hugs!!!
 
praxithea

praxithea

New Member
lol..thanks for the advice..
I kept thinking that maybe it was my tank that has a special vibe...I watched my long lost anemone (hadn't seen in weeks) scoot across my tank the other night on the back of a hermit crab...
Maybe its all about the tank feng shui...
 
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