sea Urchins

[regina]

are black sea urchins reef safe? I have somehow aquired them with my live rock and up until now I have had no problems but some of my mushrooms have the middles ate out of them. These things have grown four times bigger since I bought the live rock in June of this year.
I also have bristleworms but have been told that they are reef safe????? I have tried my best to get what I can out so they wont over take the tank. I have stopped feeding as much so that the six line wrasse, and the arrow crab will take care of them.
any comments would truly help. My water is good have tested myself and had LFS test also all is well.
Hope someone can tell me if the Urchins are safe or not running out of options.

 

[LeslieH]

I suspect that the arrow crab is the likeliest culprit. They are notorious for going after pretty much anything.

 

[regina]

urchin

urchin

I would not disagree with you but I have only had it for two days and this happen before him.

 

[bigbearcrain]

If you like coraline algea you wont have any left before long. i noticed what look like areas bleached and found out it was my urchins

 

[regina]

no wonder

no wonder

I wondered what the heck was going on with my tank and the bleaching out effect. Looks like I will be plucking out 4 urchins this weekend....
thanks

 

[bigbearcrain]

I had to do the same with just one urchin. And thet are such neat kridders.

 

[LeslieH]

That still doesn't solve the problem of the damaged corals. I wonder what else you could have hidden in your rocks?

 

[str1988]

I have kept urchins in my tanks for years without problems. Do you have another tank you could put them in for a week or two? They are pretty tough so you wouldnt have to have an elaborate setup for them. Even a rubbermaid setup would work. Then you could see if it repeats.

 

[bigbearcrain]

Been there done that once they were out for a month the coraline started coming bach in the places it once had been

 

[regina]

urchins

urchins

I got rid of all but 1 urchin and that was because I couldn't get to it. I have something, I must just find what the heck it is. since all this discussion i have had no mushroom problems....

I did remove 19 bristle worms maybe that was the demon