Urchin compatability

[armlocker]

I bought a tuxedo urchin a few weeks back and he's really cool lookin and eats a lot of algae so i wanna get another of a different color. I was just curious if anybody has ever had any problems with them eating corals or being stung by anemones/corals. Also would there be any problem between the 2 urchins? Thanks!!
P.S. Post pics of your own urchins!! :jumping:

 

[skirrby]

as far as im aware urchins will eat just about anything they want

 

[fishtanker]

i had a Longspinened, pincushion, and pencil urchin all in the same tank for a while. I removed the Pencil beacsue he was knocking a lot of stuff over, removed the lonspined beacsue he was poking one of my fish at night while it was sleeping (the lonspined was quite large), and i kept the pincushion beacsue he's pretty harmless.
Pencil urchins have a reputation of eating soft coral polys, i however never witnessed it myself.

 

[armlocker]

Thanks guys. Is a "tuxedo" urchin well known or is that just a BS name my lfs gave it? He's got a blue/purple body and short stiff spines and long tentacles all over. He hasnt touched my leather or mushrooms yet and its been a couple weeks so i think im ok. He's active 24/7 and never hides. I'll only get another if i know it wont chow down on coral. :happyfish

 

[fishtanker]

tuxedo's are in the family of pincushion, it is their trade name.

 

[ophiura]

More than one urchin is fine, but they can bulldoze things. Avoid the slate pencil uchin, a known omnivore...not considered reef safe. "Tuxedo uchin" is a commonly recognized urchin in the hobby that looks like you described.

 

[armlocker]

Thanks for the info, i didnt end up getting one anyway there wasnt any that caught my eye, i did come home with some frogspawn and xenia though :jumping: