Ok here it goes...I added a purple urchin to my tank Friday. It has been doing good, going all over the tank and so much fun to watch. Any way, I git up this morning and was drinking my coffee and watching my tank and i noticed that it has eat LOTS of coraline off of my big rock! I have big white patches all over the rock now from where it has eat the coraline. Is this normal?? Should I take it back to LFS? I am not sure what to do. Its beautiful, but dont want my coraline gone. Any suggestions?? It does not seem to be bothering any of my corals either. Just suprised:cursin:
Sea Urchin question
- Thread starter greene394
- Start date
new reefer 03
Active Member
Urchions eat coraline algae.
in the process of eating it they may scratch some off, releasiing pores into the tank which should result in more coraline.
i have a tuxedo urchin that eats my coraline, but it grows back where he ate it off by the next day. i wouldnt worry about it.
im thinking about gtting another urchin to keep the coraline away lol
in the process of eating it they may scratch some off, releasiing pores into the tank which should result in more coraline.
i have a tuxedo urchin that eats my coraline, but it grows back where he ate it off by the next day. i wouldnt worry about it.
im thinking about gtting another urchin to keep the coraline away lol
Thanks a bunch. Makes sence to me, didnt even think about it making it speard more around the tank!
new reefer 03
Active Member
http://library.thinkquest.org/J001418/urchin.html said:
they do eat corraline, and other algaes... :tongue: lol
This blessed sea urchin is making a huge mess in my tank! Its nocking rocks over, moving all kinds of stuff, eating the coraline off of my snails and poops EVERYWHERE!! I see this thing pooping at least 3 to 4 times a day! Is this normal?? Will it raise the levels in my tank?? I like it, it looks really good in my tank, just wondering if this is normal?? Help please!
Well let me tell you, this thing is CONSTANTLY EATING! If your are wanting it for that, it will do that!!! It has cleared off my big rock that was covered of coraline, not to happy bout that, cause we paid a lot of money for it due to it being COVERED IN CORALINE! Oh well! It ate a big chucnk of turf algea that we had growing on this rock...witch is good.
Its beautifl in my tank, I love it, its just a pain at times. Hope you get some answers to help you decide if you want one or not.
Its beautifl in my tank, I love it, its just a pain at times. Hope you get some answers to help you decide if you want one or not.
razorvines
Member
Well I have one that I got through tank acquisition. I had it in a small tank because it did a good job of keeping it clean. Well it tried to eat a small clown I had in the tank. We moved him into the tank because he was getting beat up. So in the process of recovering, and chilling on the bottom because they had evicerated his tail, the Urchin moved over it and started eating it's tail. I had to get a knife to pry it out of the urchins mouth. Now I am not sure if the little guy is going to make it. If he does I am going to name him Rocky because he is certainly a fighter...
Man Jason, what a story. I think if the little guy makes it, Rocky is a great name for him! What type of urchin do u have?? this is mine...
All King does is eat algea, has not bothered anything in my tank at all! Its amazing how differnt critters can be! Hope little guy pulls through, keep us posted!
All King does is eat algea, has not bothered anything in my tank at all! Its amazing how differnt critters can be! Hope little guy pulls through, keep us posted!
razorvines
Member
Mine is just a plain old brown one. I think the guy got him while out snorkeling in the Keys. He is cool to watch, but man was the wife mad at him for getting the clown. They are her babies, we are raising two pair of black onyx true percs. We went to eat sushi last night and our chef said his favorite roll was Sea Urchin. She asked him "do you want me to bring you one?" It was pretty funny.
Octoman
Well-Known Member
I have a long spined urchin and a tuxedo urchin. They "poop" alot, but it looks more like little white pellets that I'm guessing are mostly calcium carbonate from the coraline algae. The long spine has been a model citizen in my 55, never knocked anything over, never hurt any fish or corals. He eats a lot of coraline, but it grows back faster than he eats it, so there is always plenty. He spawns about once every couple months - makes great food for the filter feeders...
The tuxedo is in a little 10 gallon, he's pretty small for now and seems to get enough to eat in there - it grows back fully in an area before he makes it back over there. He'll be moving into the bigger tank (which will hopefully be upgraded to a 90) after we move. He did eat a firefish goby, the goby appeared healthy, I'd had it for over a year. I don't know if it died mysteriously or if the urchin caught it sleeping and nabbed it with his tube feet. He ate the whole goby body in a day.
I have read accounts of pencil urchins catching and eating fish, but never a tuxedo, so who knows?
The tuxedo is in a little 10 gallon, he's pretty small for now and seems to get enough to eat in there - it grows back fully in an area before he makes it back over there. He'll be moving into the bigger tank (which will hopefully be upgraded to a 90) after we move. He did eat a firefish goby, the goby appeared healthy, I'd had it for over a year. I don't know if it died mysteriously or if the urchin caught it sleeping and nabbed it with his tube feet. He ate the whole goby body in a day.
I have read accounts of pencil urchins catching and eating fish, but never a tuxedo, so who knows?
razorvines
Member
I can't say that I have ever seen mine "drop the kids off at the pool" LOL
razorvines
Member
Well Rocky didn't respond to the bell yesterday.... I guess it was just a little bit more than the little guy could take.
