Reef Patrol: Have you kept an urchin in your marine aquarium?

[DeniseAndy]

The star in such a perfect spot on the hat. Too funny!

 

[TWYOUNG]

I have seven busy keeping my rocks clean including these two. One obviously likes to help with fragging and the other got tired of roaming around in the dark and made himself some eyes !

 

[Paul B]

I love urchins and used to have an urchin collection business. "Urchin Searchin Enterprise" and I used to collect them here in New York and ship them all over the country.

I didn't collect this guy being he is tropical but I got him the size of a ping pong ball and now about 12 years later he is about 7" wide, or high depending on how you measure him, or her.



Here he is eating a piece of clam. It's his favorite food because he doesn't realize he is a vegan.



This is how I collect Tuxedo Urchins.

 

[shakacuz]

i have 2 in my 40B. once the coralline algae is somewhat decreased i will move 1 to my sump.

 

[AstroCoral]

Many of my frags are not glued down so having an urchin is out of the question (for now). My tank is also much too small for an urchin’s appetite, hopefully in the future I could get an urchin for a larger tank build.

 

[GARRIGA]

Pretty sure mine starved to death

 

[Torch Town Reefer]

where are you people getting all these cute hats for your urchins?! i must get some! lol.

 

[Tiny Ocean]

where are you people getting all these cute hats for your urchins?! i must get some! lol.

Mine are from lego-style toys someone gave me. There are people on Etsy who make them!

 

[Nano_Man]

My uk native little baby

 

[Paul B]

where are you people getting all these cute hats for your urchins?! i must get some! lol.

 

[StatelineReefer]

Paul, that urchin carries quite the torch for you.

 

[Torch Town Reefer]

oh, man! this little guy takes 1st place! he's doing practice laps around the tank with his torch, so he'll be ready to open the next olympic games! lol! i love it!

 

[Dr. Jim]

Be careful with Long Spine urchins. Several years ago, I got my finger jabbed by a spine. In the middle of the night, I woke up shivering with sweats and had red streaks running up my arm. I went to the emergency room where an improper diagnosis was made. The next morning, I went to an Infectious Disease specialist who told me red streaks are a sign of a Streptococcus bacteria. I was put on the proper antibiotic and am still alive today to tell this story.

 

[codenfx]

Will they knock frags out from the frag racks, there's no locking mechanism on it. Although I havent tried gluing frags to it, I'm thinking it might be hard to remove in this case. Interested in trying a tuxedo but this is my concerned.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Long black spine urchins are not afraid of you or anything really. they aim those spikes very well. I was hit with one cleaning a tank and immediately got vinegar soaking and was okay. Hurt like crazy though.
Don't mess with long black spined urchins.

 

[Azael]

Yes, I have a few small black urchins, a purple one and I also want to buy a tuxedo urchin. I like them.