Tuxedo urchin help - it’s driving me nuts

[Lyss]

So I thought these guys are reef safe and only eat algae. Isn’t that correct?

I got a baby captive bred red tuxedo a month or so ago to help me get a problem w/out of control ulva on my rocks under control. But this thing has done nothing but go around the same few areas of the rocks eating all the coralline and avoiding the ulva other than pulling some to wear as camouflage.

THEN, towards the end of last week I glued a new mini colony of zoas I’d received the week prior to the rocks. Since then the urchin will not leave them alone. I keep finding it on top of them, and it has now killed at least three polyps.

Im at the end of my rope w/this urchin and am honestly just confused. I thought it would graze all over the rocks and knock out a lot of the ulva, but it doesn’t seem to want that. I’m also confused about its attraction to the zoas. It’s not trying to take them, it’s literally grazing on them and killing them.

Am I the only unlucky person ever to experience something like this, or what?

 

[Chrisv.]

So I thought these guys are reef safe and only eat algae. Isn’t that correct?

I got a baby captive bred red tuxedo a month or so ago to help me get a problem w/out of control ulva on my rocks under control. But this thing has done nothing but go around the same few areas of the rocks eating all the coralline and avoiding the ulva other than pulling some to wear as camouflage.

THEN, towards the end of last week I glued a new mini colony of zoas I’d received the week prior to the rocks. Since then the urchin will not leave them alone. I keep finding it on top of them, and it has now killed at least three polyps.

Im at the end of my rope w/this urchin and am honestly just confused. I thought it would graze all over the rocks and knock out a lot of the ulva, but it doesn’t seem to want that. I’m also confused about its attraction to the zoas. It’s not trying to take them, it’s literally grazing on them and killing them.

Am I the only unlucky person ever to experience something like this, or what?

You are not alone! They do love to eat coralline algae. And pick up frags. Once it grows up a bit you can always make uni.

 

[Lyss]

Th

You are not alone! They do love to eat coralline algae. And pick up frags. Once it grows up a bit you can always make uni.

The thing is, it’s not trying to pick up the zoas — it continually goes back to them and grazes over them, and has killed some polyps that have melted away after. I keep shooing it off but it always goes back, and the damage is done.

When it is big enough maybe I will make uni lol. It’s actually making the ulva spread worse b/c it’s removing all the coralline.

 

[Eatfrenchfries]

Urchins will have their preferences. Mine also eats Coraline instead of other algaes as well when I first got it but as it took on size it became a black hole. You should try cleaning your zoas or coral you don't want it grazing on. Get a phosphate remover to halt the ulva growth enough to be manageable and removed by your clean up crew

 

[Eatfrenchfries]

Id get a small turbo to eat the ulva. Urchins like to scrap coralline, and hold macroalgae to eat later. Turbo will eat the algae down to the anchor point. Either way need to secure small pieces.

 

[Eatfrenchfries]

Here's mine wearing sargassum and ulva. They wear things to protect themselves from uv rays. If it's palatable they'll eat it when there's no immediate food.

 

[Lyss]

Zoas are clean — they’re brand new. And no turbos, my tank is a nano that is fully stocked w/CUC. I have 4 large Trochus plus a conch and no room for more large snails. Thanks for the advice but my phosphate readings are good — usually range from .06 to .08 — I adjusted my lighting and turned the whites up for aesthetic reasons about a week prior to the explosion, and realized my mistake right away. Now the whites are low again but I have the ulva to deal with. Was just curious about why this urchin is driving me insane. I guess I just need to give it time to grow.

 

[CoralB]

I currently have a blue tuxedo that does what it’s supposed to. However many years ago I had one that grazed a path thru a colony of star polyps . It looked like he was preparing the sight for the power company to lay power lines . So yes they can at time enjoy softies . You could take him back and exchange for another one as I believe as with many critters it’s hit or miss .

 

[Double monti 61]

Maybe it is clearing more area for coralline algae to grow?

 

[Chrisv.]

Th

The thing is, it’s not trying to pick up the zoas — it continually goes back to them and grazes over them, and has killed some polyps that have melted away after. I keep shooing it off but it always goes back, and the damage is done.

When it is big enough maybe I will make uni lol. It’s actually making the ulva spread worse b/c it’s removing all the coralline.

My worst urchin experience was a diadema. It got huge. The body itself wasn't so big, but including the spines it was only slightly smaller than a volleyball. The spines were poisonous and it could sense me moving around when I was screwing around inside the tank...so it would point them towards me. I was jabbed at least three times. The spines would break off. Swelling. The whole nine yards. Getting rid of it was the best decision ever.