Purple Urchin or Serpent Starfish

[qpackard]

So quick question, from a ease of care/scavenger of waste...which is a better option. Purple Urchins or Serpent or Brittle Star? I also have a fighting conch, sally lightfoot and mix of hermits. Looking at putting in something to get remaining scraps/waste at bottom...really want a Detritus destroyer!!! Thanks in advance.

 

[essop3]

I vote serpent star. I rarely see mine, but I know it's there doing it's job.

 

[smartorl]

I vote serpent star, when I feed I always see his arms snaking out from under a rock pile creepy but way cool! He does a great job!

 

[garychef1]

I vote urchin because if you really want to fire up your tank with coralline growth the urchin will chew it to the microscopic level and it will make the coralline go crazy!!! I wouldnt get a purple one though, i would get a red one because they look really nice. Keep it for 6-12 months and then get rid of it because they by then u will have plenty of coralline in your tank and then you can put in a star if u like. I have 2 of them from hitchhiking. If you have coralline already go for a star then because they are great sand sifters. But (i am really going long on this) if you want a really good sifted sand bed get a diamond goby. Best $20 i ever spent on my tank. They sand bed was filthy and 1 week later it was pearly white. So, go with whatever one you want IMO. But i agree that stars are better cleaners for sand beds but stars are not as good as diamond goby for sand beds.

 

[robert0862]

my diamond goby cost me a bundle in new filter pads. but worth every penny.

make sure your tank is covered becaused they will jump.

 

[ophiura]

Urchins are in no way scavengers. So if that is your qualification, only the brittlestar works...but all should be spot fed anyway.
But it also depends what you mean by "detritus" because that could be another issue entirely, not resolved by adding another animal.

 

[awakened2life]

If it's a carrier urchin your conch will probably die. I lost all my queens to my urchin. It carried them around on it's back 'til they were no more.