What is the best urchin for a reef?

[blackjacktang]

Wich one is best for a 60g tank with a mated pair of maroons and a bicolor dottyback. Oh and a couple corals. (will add more)

 

[jmj6239]

none mine is becoming more trouble than it is worth.

 

[rebelprettyboy]

lol I was gonna say none as well. They just get in the way and knock stuff over. and they're not even really kool

 

[candycane]

If you MUST have one, pincushions are about the most entertaining to watch. The rest are big and clumsy. They all pretty much chew LR down to bare rock. The only funny part about the pincushions is when they grab snails, corals, powerheads, pendants (just kidding) and carry them around on their spines. I have seen a few that had powerheads on them.

 

[nano reefer]

yeah, make sure you have every coral glued down before you get one. reefkprx has a thread with a picture of "the blenny cannon", an urchin picked up the nozze on a power head, and a blenny swam inside. hilarious picture.

 

[nycbob]

get the blue tuxedo urchin. they r considered reef safe. i hv 2 in my tank.

 

[rebelprettyboy]

Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/2680403
get the blue tuxedo urchin. they r considered reef safe. i hv 2 in my tank.
GOtta pic? Sounds like a pretty one

 

[nycbob]

i will take a pic. but if u google it, u will see it. its cool looking. i got it like 3 days ago bc i hv heard they r the best urchins compared to others. they even eat hair algae supposedly.

 

[mr_x]

i think all of the urchins are considered reef safe. it's justy their clumsy-ness and large size, combined with the fact that they make coralline covered rock look like recently added base rock in no time, which makes them undesirable.

 

[nycbob]

i thought some urchins eat corals? i could be wrong. but here r the pics below. i hv 2 of them. try to find them.

i got the hippo a few days back. i hope he makes it. he is really small. as u can see, xenia is not good.

 

[wangotango]

I have a black long-spine (diadema) in my tank. Like mentioned, they can be bulldozers but don't really hurt anything.
-Justin

 

[mscarpena]

I agree tuxedo urchins are the best. I had one a few years ago and got rid of him due to him carrying around some smaller frags. I should have kept him and glued down the frags. Never ate any coraline algae. Also some urchins are not reef safe and wil eat corals. So make sure you get one that is reef safe. Also try to find the smallest one you can. Alos tuxedo urchins are the best looking and stay relatively small.

 

[nycbob]

i bought mine online bc most lfs dont carry them, including swf.com.

 

[coral keeper]

My lfs has a few. How big do they get?

 

[nycbob]

i read 2-3 inches.