Long-spined urchin - NOT reef safe

[TrevDog]

In all the reading I did on this creature, I never once read that they were anything but reef safe. Well, either I have terrible luck (not out of the realm) or these little fellas should be stripped of their "safe" label.

I first noticed a chunk taken out of my chips acro frag about a month ago. Frag seemed unaffected (normal growth etc). Well tonight I notice the urchin kinda hanging out right on top of this frag. After about half an hour he's still there. I prod him out of the way and darnit if he hasn't eaten most of the frag. Worse yet, the urchin was back on the frag within minutes of being pushed away.

Perhaps the "chips" moniker speaks to their tastiness. Whatever the case, the urchin heads for a new home tomorrow.

Fair warning.

Trevor

 

[JonTarutis]

Is coralline in short supply? A friend of mine and I were discussing this very issue the other day... the only theory we could come up with from our experiences is that they resort to eating acros when there is a short supply of calcerous algae for them to eat.
Market price on "uni" is usually fairly high

 

[Ti]

eat it

 

[concept3]

Urchins occasionally nip at the new growth of my caps and digis.

Needless to say, they are also a great coralline/algae eater.

 

[AeroD79]

In mines, it ate the sps plates in my new tank. Although in my old tank where the back is covered with coralline ..they're always there instead and rarely nip

So dont get those esp when coralline are not abundant.

 

[GrassLandReefer]

haha that would be a different kindda taste

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7229654#post7229654 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ti
eat it

 

[jay2525]

ime. like most animals in the hobby, when the prominent food supply is not avail. they eat the next available meal.

 

[TrevDog]

Coralline is not in abundant supply in my tank, so I guess that explains it.

Trevor

 

[Justin/TiV]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7229654#post7229654 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ti
eat it

LOL...Makes good sushi

 

[Ti]

Yes is does.
It doesn';t get fresher than straight from tank.
=)

 

[TrevDog]

I'd have a hard time eating the thing - like eating my hippo tang after watching it eat its own poop....

Trevor

 

[AeroD79]

ok find me a menu for that lol

 

[concept3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7232975#post7232975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justin/TiV
LOL...Makes good sushi

Just the eggs guys............. just the eggs!

Sushi-Uni

 

[reefgeek84]

I have no idea where you read they are reef safe, every book I own says that urchins with the exception of tuxedos are not really reef safe.

 

[TrevDog]

Fenner's "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" makes no mention of them NOT being suitable for a reef aquarium. In fact, he suggests them to combat nuisance alga (which is the only reason I bought it).

Plus, I've seen several SPS tanks with them, and non reported this specific problem.

Trevor

 

[reefgeek84]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7237965#post7237965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TrevDog
Fenner's "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" makes no mention of them NOT being suitable for a reef aquarium. In fact, he suggests them to combat nuisance alga (which is the only reason I bought it).

Plus, I've seen several SPS tanks with them, and non reported this specific problem.

Trevor

Well I checked liveaquaria and they say all urchins are reefsafe and that is not what I have heard. I have heard that they are not the best guests to have in your tank. And all but the tuxedo's primarly live of coraline algae, so if you do not have alot of that, it may be trying to supplement some sort of algae (the zoa from the corals) to feed itself.

Again, I have heard that uxedos are really the only one that is considered "reef safe", but I could very well be wrong.