Tuxedo Urchin eating shrimp molt?

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Saw my Tuxedo urchin munching on a peppermint shrimp molt this morning. On one hand, great, the darn molt isn't going through the powerhead for once. But thinking he must be extra hungry I tried to give him a piece of nori. He's now wearing the nori as a hat and back to munching on the molt. This is the first time I've seen him eat something like this. Strange behavior for a tuxedo?

 

[Isopod80]

Saw my Tuxedo urchin munching on a peppermint shrimp molt this morning. On one hand, great, the darn molt isn't going through the powerhead for once. But thinking he must be extra hungry I tried to give him a piece of nori. He's now wearing the nori as a hat and back to munching on the molt. This is the first time I've seen him eat something like this. Strange behavior for a tuxedo?

My tux does the same. Extra nourishment. I rubber band my nori to a small chunk of liverock as an urchin treat.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

My tux does the same. Extra nourishment. I rubber band my nori to a small chunk of liverock as an urchin treat.

Urchins really are crazy fascinating creatures. Glad to hear the little roomba hasn't totally gone off program.

 

[Alaeriel]

Urchins can munch on protein snacks from time to time! Emily (my black longspine) will steal all the nori we put in for the OST

 

[EricR]

I have a pink urchin (according to the LFS) -- looks like a pink(ish) pincushion to me.

He only liked coralline and only on my live rock for awhile.
Finally, he'll now eat nori too.

The other day he stole a krill off my chocolate chip starfish when they both ended up near the top of the water line at the same time (which is rare).
Chewed on it for a LONG time (hours) which was surprising to me, although the amount he actually ate was pretty minimal.

I didn't really expect them to go after meat but, I guess, pretty much anything and everything is fair game.

EDIT -- just saw the "little roomba" comment a couple posts up -- that's funny (and apropos)

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I'm still surprised at their ability to find these things. He was wearing a hermit crab molt as a hat a few days ago (I don't think he tried to eat that one). For a critter with no eyes and no brain he sure has a knack for finding what he likes.