Urchin or not to Urchin????

[lamaface]

I want to get an urchin for my tank which is about 240 gallons but i have masses of Acro and Clams and lotsa and lotsa rocks. Do you rate i could get an urchin and if i do what kind?

 

[renogaw]

well, if anyone wants one of mine, tell me how to ship it or come pick them up. my LFS says he gets buckets full whenever he sells the LR by the box, so my 4 might just be the beginning.

 

[chefben]

I have a longspine black urchin. He has eatin so much of my coralin algea. But I think it is growing faster than he can consume it. No problem as far as Im concerned.
-ben

 

[grilai]

I had two pencil urchins; they ate all of my coralline, stress and moved my corals. I took them back to my LFS after I found one of my corals up side down.

 

[lamaface]

Longspine black urchin? Would that be compatible in a reef with clams and acro's ec?

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by Lamaface
Longspine black urchin? Would that be compatible in a reef with clams and acro's ec?
IMO, NO
I have one in my reef tank that has been steadily consuming corals for months. He ate every bit of my Xenia and last night he polished off a nice leather frag that I paid 25 bucks for just last week. It wasn't until last night that I caught him in the act and made the connection to everything else that's been happening. I'm moving him into my FOWLR asap.
They are neat, beautiful creatures as long as you have plenty of coral to feed them.

 

[lamaface]

hmmmm... i dont keep softies what i was more worried about was the spines poking the soft flesh of my clams... I've been doing some research and the matter seems to be highly debatable. From what i've read they seem to eat more algae ect but will eat everything and anything if hungry enough... Also that they may knock over coral that isn't securly secured... I may decide to go for one but i just alittle more feedback from the people who have kept them. I've also read that these guys eat really slowly due to the Aristotles Lantern that they use to feed... I'm torn in two about this... Sorry for highjacking the thread... hehe...

 

[bojik]

Originally Posted by renogaw
they look to be spiney, but are so small i can't id them yet. they are black though.
Yea some sort of pencil urchin i think.

Cool looking though. Cool freebies.