Bet my urchin is stronger than yours

[Hugh Mann]

My little tux right now looks like a great big glob of bubble algae...

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I had a 3 polyp zoa detach from its plug, mostly likely the vendo cut, glued and shipped before it could fully attach its self. I said to my self, I bet my tuxedo urchin will find it for me. Sure enough, 2 weeks later, I noticed a bright orange spot on my tuxedo. Its saved my frag.

 

[Timfish]

Here's my monster . . . I wonder how long it will live and how large it will get!

From what I've seen I suspect a lot of echnoderms should live decades. I still have a brittle star purchased in 1997. This urchin was acquired in '08. It's "test" or body has barely grown any since then.

 

[terraincognita]

I never wanted an urchin until this thread.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I never wanted an urchin until this thread.

Right!? I want one too now! LOL

 

[TurboStretch]

Hahah so epic! One of mine has been carrying around a live piece of GSP for awhile, among other trinkets!

 

[terraincognita]

So,

What’s the downside of these little collectors?

 

[CMMorgan]

So,

What’s the downside of these little collectors?

They knock stuff over... I have never glued my rockwork. I have had my share of collapses. too. Next tank is going to be acrylic, so maybe I'll change my mind about that and have an excuse to get a new urchin. They are entertaining.

 

[Mical]

I call my Tuxedo Urchin "The Collector." He likes to carry around snails, and he'll always pick up the molts from my cleaner shrimp and my coral banded shrimp. I didn't expect him to be so entertaining when I got him.

We call ours Roomba

 

[SaltISlife]

My urchins died off all but my massive long spine. Not enough algae in my 135 gallon tank oddly enough

 

[Rudefish]

300g tank with 8 urchins in the tank. they do get inbetween the rocks so one would need either heavy rocks or have them glued or they will tumble as others have mentioned. mine are heavy so the rocks stay intact. they do a great job of cleaning and keeping my rocks clean. i do have enough rocks and detritus to keep them well.

1 - longspine, 1 each - red and blue tuxedo, 2 - pencils, 3 - pincushion

Had them for over a year now.

 

[Rudefish]

They all are fascinating animals and if you can, get at least one.

 

[Hugh Mann]

I never wanted an urchin until this thread.

Right!? I want one too now! LOL

Do it.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

So,

What’s the downside of these little collectors?

They eat coraline, so I generally only have purple rocks where they can get to, and as other said, they will bulldoze things that are not well secured. They are awesome at algae eating tho.

Also, when they eat on acrylic things, they leave nice little star shaped scratches.

 

[Wilz]

Your urchins my be the stronger, but my purple spine pincushion is the prettiest... Here he is with trying to get his rainbow hat on.