Urchins?????

[gobyguy9686]

Is it safe to get 2 purple urchins for my 55 gal tank and what do i need to do to make them happy

 

[cooqie]

they are scavengers they will eat your coraline though if you plane on have live rock and secure your rock good but they would eat meaty foods and just left overs

 

[gobyguy9686]

so dont get them if im goin to have live rock

 

[scubaguy]

I have not had my Long Black Spiny Urchin bother my coraline yet. They do like to make themselves fit in between the rocks, so make sure they are secure or if you have coral. Mine is great at eating algea and keeping everything looking clean.

 

[rara12]

They are great for fish only tanks but can be destructive for reef tanks.

 

[blowfish1]

I had a long spine had to get rid of it .It killed my brain
I had him for about 2 years and then he started eating my corals

 

[tangwhispr]

Tuxedo Urchins are ok in a reef, mine don't bulldoze much...once in a while they knock a frag over.

 

[big]

I have a purple in my DT If he would eat the Coralline from the right spots it would be more tolerable. He is goimg to my sump as soon as he comes out where I can catch him easily. I saw him the other day behimd a very large Pearl on the back glass and his needles where sticking into the underside of the coral.

 

[gobyguy9686]

im just setting up an FO tank with live rock but will it still be ok??

 

[dischirm]

It will be ok, but my tank has been set up for over 3 years, and I had beautiful live rock that came with the cutest little urchin the size of a pencil eraser. Well, that baby grew into a tennis ball almost and ate every bit of coralline off my rocks. Well, it past away a few months ago and my coralline is starting to come back, but nothing like it was yet.
All they are saying is if you want bare rock, get the urchin. If you want purple coralline, dont get the urchin.