Hitchhiker found

JR719

Tang Cop
Premium Member
So I get home from work a little while ago (about 1 or 1:30 AM) and the kids are wide awake. Trying to wear them down so I can do the usual email check etc. My youngest is at the tank and asks "daddy, what's this?". I look over and see a small brown blob on the front glass about the size of a marble. My curiosity is peaked since I have never noticed a brown blob on the glass.
As I approach, I see spines from this blob with a reddish underside (against the glass). Immediately I thought urchin and the bad one. The reason is, I put a nice sized chunk of pocillapora on the bottom corner of the tank that has been getting worse over the last couple of months. I remember reading some urchins will eat corals and figured this was it and that's why the coral is going downhill. Mainly because it was only about 5 inches above the coral.
Yep, a dark colored little urchin. I have not added any livestock, rock, nothing in I could not tell you how long. If this is the coral eating kind, that would sure explain why this 1 has been going downhill while others are doing great.
Put the little guy in a container and in the sump. Hopefully I can trade it locally at the LFS (or local reefer).

If you want it, it's about the size of a dime, maybe a little bigger. Dark colored with a reddish underside. I'll try and get a pic later today. I'll have to do more research to ascertain if it is actually the sps eating kind. I'll be happy to trade for sps, some type of hair algae eating snails, whatever eats HAIR ALGAE.
 
Is it a Rock Boring Urchin?

Rock Boring Urchin (Color can vary)
f341.gif
 
Travis,

Not sure. Here are a couple of bad pics. I really need a macro lens.
urch2.jpg

urch1.jpg
 
It's just a Rock Boring Urchin. A common urchin hitchhiker. It shouldn't do any harm to your tank. If you still don't feel comfortable having it in your tank, I'll take it off your hands. It will go great in my future Black and White tank.
 
Travis,

There's one ahead of you. If they back out, I'll let you know.

Jeff
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7521510#post7521510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JR719
Travis,

There's one ahead of you. If they back out, I'll let you know.

Jeff

Cool Thanks for sharing the pictures though. I like the second one. There is a lot of detail showing in its feet.
 
You mentioned hair algae. I have had great luck with Sea Hares. They are like lawn mowers for Hair Algae.
 
You mentioned hair algae. I have had great luck with Sea Hares. They are like lawn mowers for Hair Algae.

My powerheads have had even better luck with the sea hares.
 
I have 3 of the ones Travis pictured in my tank and have not seen any signs of coral damage from them.
 
How big are they? I would love to have one, if there are any donors. :) :) :)

Too bad you can't cut these in half to propagate them... :)
 
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