Will urchin eat off LR?

[skip]

I have a urchin that is about the size of a dime. Just a regular one-not long spinned. Anyway the lady at the LFS said he would clean off my LR. Don't want that!!! Is it true? Anyway to avoid this? (He came in on a piece of LR) Should I just turn him into LFS? I have some small featherdusters on my LR, sponges, very small anemones.

 

[old hermit]

i had one when i first started my sw tank up. it at almoset all my coraline algae before i could get him back to the lfs. im not sure if all of them will though, i had the spiney urchin.

 

[sistrmary]

Yes, nearly all urchins will strip your LR clean, taking anything they find with it. I would suggest taking it to your LFS and getting rid of it.

 

[heavenly damsel]

Yes they will. I have two because I am planning to breed bangaii cardinals...they are pretty much done cleaning off the LR. They also do a great job on the glass though. Keep the coraline off it so you can see in.

 

[kyred1]

What about a pencil urchin? I have one and it stays in the bottom of the tank all the time.

 

[bang guy]

Most of the Diadema sp. urchins are herbivores. Pencil Urchins are carnivores. It depends of the specie of the Urchin you have.

 

[u235a4]

i have 4 pencil 2 pin cushion and 2 purple urchins and they call eat anything they can get there lips on the pencils stay to the rock mostly and the pin cushions seem to say to the glass and the purple are back and forth alot
just my 2 cents if that helps

 

[jonthefb]

Many urchins are algae eating urchins while some are carnivores. The algae eaters have no particular, fave, they will chow ANYTHING!, including the aesthetic coralline algae, that we all try so hard to grow and maintain. Also with some of the Diadema genus, they can produce a neurotoxin that wont kill humans, but will have a very painful sting Be careful, and your own judge!
good luck
jon

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by jonthefb
Many urchins are algae eating urchins while some are carnivores. The algae eaters have no particular, fave, they will chow ANYTHING!, including the aesthetic coralline algae, that we all try so hard to grow and maintain. Also with some of the Diadema genus, they can produce a neurotoxin that wont kill humans, but will have a very painful sting Be careful, and your own judge!
good luck
jon
Jon,
I definately agree with your take on the Diadema. However, I have found that their method of eating coralline quickly spreads it around. As they chew off pieces only a small amount makes in into the mouth, the rest is caught by the current and spread all around.
Their method of eating hair algae completely eliminates it, unlike other grazing animals. They pull in into their mouth like spaghetti then bite the base roght off the rock. This doesn't leave any trace of the algae to grow back.
These eating habits are desireable for me. If your tank is short on coralline they could possible eat all of it before it can regrow. If you're not short then I believe they will actually increase the amount of coralline by distributing it all over the tank.
The bulldozer aspect of them I could do without. They will definately rearrang anything not glued down
Guy