Should I clean a tuxedo urchin?

[Jareth]

Im not so much worried about the pebbles, but he sometimes picks up a ton of cheato. Its easy enough to pick it clean when he comes up to the top of the tank so Im not worried about cleaning it just dont want to cause damage.

Searched, but didnt see an answer. Im eventually going to pick up some zebra crabs, which Ive heard/seen ride around on the urchin.

 

[NYC/NJREEFS]

Tuxedo Urchin

Tuxedo Urchin

I've had one since Dec, 2008 I always see mine carrying empty snail shells, and other debris on it. I never clean it because it does it's own grooming.

 

[Jareth]

Pebbles Im OK with. He can get about....4 feet of continuous cheato wrapped around itself.

 

[NYC/NJREEFS]

Tuxedo Urchin

Tuxedo Urchin

Thats funny you've got a picture of it w/ the cheato coat? lol...

 

[DarthAWM]

Thats funny you've got a picture of it w/ the cheato coat? lol...

+1 all I can think is Cha... Cha... Cha...Chia:lolspin:

 

[ralphie]

Mine has carried around a live hermit crab. As it crawled, you could see the crab legs moving since it was upside down on the urchin.

Mine has also carried around a floating thermometer for days!

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

:lol: I love tuxedo urchins! Mine used to grab zoa frags. He was stylin'!

 

[Urchinhead]

This is a sign of a happy healthy urchin. They pick things up and use them as tactile and visual camouflage. If its a problem just pick it off. Mine would take my hermits and snails for rides around the tank and once went around with a zoa frag that colored up nicely and grew quickly thanks to the constant exposure to light and detritus (I am guessing and realize that correlation doesn't equal causation).

 

[jollyballs]

cool, mine picks up mushrooms and carries them around for days. who knows where he will drop them off.