Blue tuxedo urchin

Auqaman · Oct 27, 2020

Hi, I just bought a blue tuxedo urchin for the purpose of eating the green algae. He’s pretty efficient at doing so.
I have no experience with urchins and I was wondering how well they can crawl around the tank. I have mostly cliffs as a rock scape. Are they able to move around like a snail does? I have him perched on top of a cliff right now. Will he be able to move off? Or should I pick him up and put him where the algae is. Can they hang upside down like a snail?
Thanks for all the help

Mical · Oct 27, 2020

He'll be fine. One note make sure all your corals are well glue down. They grab stuff and drag it all around the tank with them. We have one we call "Roomba" you can see why...

NeonRabbit221B · Oct 27, 2020

They can dangle every which way as long as they are healthy. If you start seeing it fall or have issues climbing its likely starving or dying from high nitrates.

Perthegallon · Oct 27, 2020

They have tiny little hands everywhere they like to grab rocks and cover them self’s with it

Auqaman · Oct 27, 2020

That's awesome. After seeing this guy in action we also called him Roomba lol. I'll just leave him be and see what he can do. Thanks

Perthegallon · Oct 27, 2020

Auqaman said:
That's awesome. After seeing this guy in action we also called him Roomba lol. I'll just leave him be and see what he can do. Thanks

if you ever get hair alage over your corals take your hand grab him and place him directly on the coral

Auqaman · Oct 27, 2020

Perthegallon said:
if you ever get hair alage over your corals take your hand grab him and place him directly on the coral

Good to know. Corals are still too advanced for me. I only have inverts and fish so far. Still trying to cycle the tank. It's been about 5 months now

wenliu51 · Oct 27, 2020

Here are some pics of my Tuxedo. I have two! I was surprised he crawled onto my glass, but I was able to watch his little beak open and close. They like to carry loose shells on their back thinking they are hiding. Here, he picked up my bumble bee snail for a ride...

In the pics you can find the little tubular 'feet' latching onto the glass and also the beak !

Ray Laneville · Oct 27, 2020

Mical said:
He'll be fine. One note make sure all your corals are well glue down. They grab stuff and drag it all around the tank with them. We have one we call "Roomba" you can see why...

Once I dropped a super glue bottle cap in the tank without realizing it. My urchin picked it up and it looked like he had a party hat on for a couple of weeks