Unknown urchin

[birdmandan]

Came as a hitchhiker and was nearly microscopic. Now about the size of a quarter in about 2 months. Any ideas on what kind of urchin?

 

[G_Sanab922]

To me it looks like a pencil urchin. The spines look nice and thick. Look it up and let us know if it looks like that one.

 

[joekool]

I have one. I took it out of my crab trap in Gulf of Mexico off of Florida. About that size. Good size to have. Will most likely find a rock and stay there. Wont harm anything.

 

[joekool]

 

[G_Sanab922]

Nice, yea it looks like a pencil urchin. Watch out though, if you have loose rocks they can move them. Good algae eaters though. I would keep it

 

[joekool]

It will be awhile before it big enough to move most size rocks in a reef tank like main body in the 3to4inch range. Just so you know keep your new little buddy. Like the other guy said they like algae.

 

[birdmandan]

I don't think its a pencil urchin. It has really long hairs that are about as long as the spines, kind of hard to see in the pic. Its in my sump and I've noticed that it kinda sticks to the same rock.

 

[joekool]

I have the same thing and it is safe to put in display.

 

[birdmandan]

I think its some sort of rock-boring urchin.

 

[saltyhog]

I think its some sort of rock-boring urchin.

This^^^^^. Is your rock from the Gulf?

I had 7 of these about the size of a dime with my LR. Within 6 months some of them were 4-5" across. Great algae eaters but when they ran out of hair/slime algae they started on coraline algae. Sold mine to my LFS for a nice profit.

 

[birdmandan]

This^^^^^. Is your rock from the Gulf?

I had 7 of these about the size of a dime with my LR. Within 6 months some of them were 4-5" across. Great algae eaters but when they ran out of hair/slime algae they started on coraline algae. Sold mine to my LFS for a nice profit.

Yupp. From the gulf. Thanks for the help!

 

[birdmandan]

So I was able to get some better pics. Now I'm thinking it's just a purple urchin.. strongylocentrotus purpuratus.