Longspine or Pencil Urchin - Reef safe?

[Ramble On Rose]

I have a 210 gallon SPS reef and I was thinking about adding an urchin. Is this a good idea? I can deal with frags getting pushed over and that kind of thing, but are either/both (I would probably only be getting one or the other) of these really reef safe? Is one a better option the other? Any advice would be great - thanks.

 

[kmk2307]

Diadema ("longspine") urchins are reef safe. Pencil urchins (Eucidaris) are not really reef safe.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[Sk8r]

I recommend tripneustes gracillis, the hairy colored pincushion urchin---avoids corals, eats caulerpa and red algae, and doesn't shove rock. It may tip a few badly balanced ones, so putty may be in order, but this is a good species. I got mine from Foster/Smith.

 

[johnski]

agree with Sk8r, i've got the same tripneustes gracillis as its a little gem in the tank

 

[Ramble On Rose]

Alright cool, I will check them out. Thanks.

 

[itzafugasi]

i had 2 pencils for 2 yrs in my reef (came on my rock) and they started off small (dime sized)...they both got very large (little larger than a golf ball w/ spines) and started to knock over my rocks/corals.. it got annoying so i gave them to the lfs. i loved them b/c they are interesting creatures, but had to get rid of them b/c i was getting tired of fixing my rocks/corals every other day!

 

[MJAnderson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8124643#post8124643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
I recommend tripneustes gracillis, the hairy colored pincushion urchin---avoids corals, eats caulerpa and red algae, and doesn't shove rock. It may tip a few badly balanced ones, so putty may be in order, but this is a good species. I got mine from Foster/Smith.

Is this what you mean? From WetWebMedia:

Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus 1758), the Priest-Hat or Collector Urchin. Family Toxopneustidae. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawai'i. Toxic to the touch to sea life. To about five inches in diameter overall. Mentioned so hobbyists will avoid it. Shown: At right in Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia. Below: specimens in the Red Sea at night, Andaman Sea and Hawai'i.

Says nothing about being toxic at Foster/Smith. I've always thought Wetwebmedia to be fairly reliable

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=594

 

[Ramble On Rose]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8136119#post8136119 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MJAnderson
Is this what you mean? From WetWebMedia:

Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus 1758), the Priest-Hat or Collector Urchin. Family Toxopneustidae. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawai'i. Toxic to the touch to sea life. To about five inches in diameter overall. Mentioned so hobbyists will avoid it. Shown: At right in Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia. Below: specimens in the Red Sea at night, Andaman Sea and Hawai'i.

Says nothing about being toxic at Foster/Smith. I've always thought Wetwebmedia to be fairly reliable

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=594

That's strange cause LiveAquaria does mention that the longspine is toxic.

 

[Phyto]

I had a longspine in my reef for a couple of months. I never noticed any damage to corals. He did eat ALL algae, including the coralline on the rocks. I got rid of him because he got too big and was knocking over my rocks.