Sea Urchins... Pros and Cons

[PaulPerger]

As the title says... From those with experience with them, what are the Pros and Cons of sea urchins?

I have heard that they are the best thing in a tank, and I have heard horror stories. So, in your experience, what are the Risks & Rewards of having a sea urchin?

FWIW - I think they are pretty cool to watch. I see them when I snorkel, so I'd kind of like them in my tank... But not if they will destroy it!

 

[Potatohead]

I like tuxedo urchins. They absolutely decimate hair algae on the rocks. They do pick up some shells and stuff, it's kind of funny. I've never had a problem with them knocking frags over but I glue them down pretty well.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

I like keeping an urchin or two in my tank. I generally go for the short spined urchins though as I seem to run into less damage caused by them.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Pros:
- They are one of the best algae eaters available
- They are interesting generally peaceful inhabitants
- Sometimes spawn (coral food!)

Cons:
- They can grab and move frags, rocks and other small items around the tank
- They can demolish your coralline algae if it's only just starting to grow
- Some species can be venomous (long spine, obviously, but flower urchins sting via their tube feet)

Tuxedo urchins are usually the best specimens, but the purple pincushion urchins are usually good too. Stay away from pencil urchins as they eat coral.

 

[PursuitOfHappiness]

As the title says... From those with experience with them, what are the Pros and Cons of sea urchins?

I have heard that they are the best thing in a tank, and I have heard horror stories. So, in your experience, what are the Risks & Rewards of having a sea urchin?

FWIW - I think they are pretty cool to watch. I see them when I snorkel, so I'd kind of like them in my tank... But not if they will destroy it!

1 First off how large is the system you plan to keep them in? diffrent species have diffrent growth rates and sizes.

2 lighting you have. With high light they will sometimes pickup things to wear as a sun "hat" including smaller frags haha.

3 If you have coral make sure they are in place WELL. I have had quite a few things in my system get knocked down when they are in the lighting acclimation process and are not glued to their permanent spot.
Also- if you don't have a lot of rock in the system they will slowly starve.

4. Is the system established?. They do live off of alge including coralline. If there is a lack of alge present in the system they wont do well unless spot fed.


Also saying that me personally dont think I will ever Not have one in my system. If you have a system less than a 20 gallons I dont recoment them though.

 

[shred5]

Pros:
- They are one of the best algae eaters available
- They are interesting generally peaceful inhabitants
- Sometimes spawn (coral food!)

Cons:
- They can grab and move frags, rocks and other small items around the tank
- They can demolish your coralline algae if it's only just starting to grow
- Some species can be venomous (long spine, obviously, but flower urchins sting via their tube feet)

Tuxedo urchins are usually the best specimens, but the purple pincushion urchins are usually good too. Stay away from pencil urchins as they eat coral.

Good list and I will just add to it.

cons:
Mostly nocturnal so you do not really see them much or moving around.
I have had them eat the Silcone glue on the corners of my tank.
There spines can sometimes damage corals depending on the type of urchin.
Occasionally they will sometimes eat a trail right through a coral.

 

[hatfielj]

I recently added a couple tuxedo urchins and a larger purple long spine urchin and they have been the best clean up crew I've ever had. I was having issues with some weird macro algae popping up everywhere and they just demolished it. They literally can clean a rock down to bare rock. It's great for corals in my opinion because it gives them a better chance of spreading their encrusting tissue.

 

[Mical]

I have a tuxedo and long spine in one tank and a long spine in the other. They're fantastic algae eaters. Long spines grow fast and can be bulldozers to small coral arrangements. The tuxedo doesn't knock things over but does pick up and carry some of the strangest things. It's currently carrying snail shells & a small group of zoas.

 

[ks2509]

I have a tuxedo urchin and love it. Always moving all over the place Eats a ton of algae as the others said it has bowled over some in glued frags so just something to keep an eye on. But personally I’ll never have a tank with out one.

 

[kirbuno]

I have a Halloween urchin that is all the things already mentioned above. Love the colors but these get a bit bigger than the tuxedo urchins, but otherwise act the same. I supplement mine with nori. If you have a smaller tank you might go with the tuxedo. I have mine in a 120. He's about 4" in diameter now. I think close to full grown. Photo is from my reef cam.

 

[Potatohead]

I have a Halloween urchin that is all the things already mentioned above. Love the colors but these get a bit bigger than the tuxedo urchins, but otherwise act the same. I supplement mine with nori. If you have a smaller tank you might go with the tuxedo. I have mine in a 120. He's about 4" in diameter now. I think close to full grown. Photo is from my reef cam.

He's even got a top hat

 

[ThunderGoose]

Love my urchins. I have a tuxedo urchin who is awesome and well behaved and a hitchhiker pincushion who does pick up frags. Right now she's carrying a zoa and some empty shells.

I'm in the group who will never have a tank without an urchin- they're just so fun to watch.

Be careful to protect wires in the tank. I heard they can damage wires by chewing on them.

 

[cracker]

I keep urchin in my tanks. They are great algae eaters. I did however have a black long spine that stuck me 1st day as I was introducing it to a tank. That was a painful experience !
I hear the the long spines will eat coral but never witnessed it.
I'm going to rely on urchins for a cuc as my Copper Band has figured out how to eat all my smaller snails !
@Mical Nice long spine !