flame urchin

[cdi919]

i just purchased a flame urchin to help with my hair alge. but it is not as active as the pincushion uchins i have. does anyone have one and is this normal. it could be nocturnal because i do see it move at night but i dont see it scraping the rocks like the other urchins. any info is welcome.

 

[cdi919]

bump :-(

 

[Fat Man]

Do you have a genus and species name? Common names are not very useful.

 

[cdi919]

no and there was no pic that looked like it in wet web media. some one told me it was probably the purple version of a fire urchin

 

[Fat Man]

Can you get a picture of your speciman and post it?

 

[Monkeyfish]

Pic please. Never even heard of a flame urchin.

 

[cdi919]

soon as he comes to the front of the tank a pic will come

 

[cdi919]

pics

pics

 

[LeslieH]

Be very careful with that urchin. It's an Asthenosoma, maybe A. varians. Members of this genus are known as fire urchins not just for their color but because they carry toxin glands at the tips of their spines & can deliver a very painful sting. the pain lasts for hours & can send sensitive people to the emergency room.

 

[cdi919]

the lfs guy told me that also about the sting because he got stung twice. does it have a special diet or will it graze for alge and detritus?

 

[Monkeyfish]

Nice looking urchin. Thanks for the pics.

 

[LeslieH]

It's basically an algae eater but according to Ron Shimek's book "Marine Invertebrates" they appreciate an occasional meaty feed.

 

[cdi919]

is there a safe way to target feed it a meaty treat?

 

[LeslieH]

Long forceps or tongs should do it.

 

[cdi919]

well i now know my urchin likes prime reef cubes. i give him 1 a week and he eats it all. also he does not eat as much alge as my pincushions do. but he is eating the sponges that are growing on the undersides of my rock.