We ended up getting an urchin to maybe take care of a little algae problem we've had. It looks to be a pincushin urchin. We put it in the tank yesterday evening and after a couple hours, we were amazed at how good of a job these things do. This morning, we've noticed it looks like it has sweeper tentacles. Is this what they are? Are they used for protection? To hunt for food? Or maybe to help navigate itself over the rocks? We didn't know they had sweeper tentacles, (if this is what they are), and was wanting to find out more about this little fascinating creature.
Sweeper tentacles on an urchin?
- Thread starter MoonInTn
- Start date
Thanks billsreef. They just didn't look strong enough for feet. lol Or maybe I didn't explain it well enough. It isn't the spines that covers it's whole body that I'm talking about. These are very thin, kind of like sweeper tentacles on a galaxy coral. They look like very fine hairlike strings that comes out of it's body between the spines and waves around. Although we did see a couple of them reaching over to another rock beside it. They looked to be pulled fairly tight, while the others were waving around, so I thought it might be a way for it to pull itself to another rock. I know the tentacles on a galaxy are for defense, so that's why I thought it might use them for defense. I saw the spines moving around and figured that was how it moved around. I guess these little tentacles helps it to move too. Thanks again!!
You'll note he carries a lot of things on his butt: if you have any tiny corals you don't want so used, glue them down. Those little 'feet' are also hands, and collectively, they're strong. Love those guys, but they do require some putty-ing of rock you don't want moved. They grow at their 'seams' and mine outgrew my tank very, very fast.
Thanks gang! Yes, it is really cool. I've never taken the time to really watch these guys, but we're very fascinated with them. It has done nothing but work, (or eat) since we put it in the tank. He's done an amazing job!!! We've got a couple fighting conchs in there, and did a very good job on a rock. But....we had to put the rock down on the sand for them to eat on it. And this urchin has done a better job than the conchs.
Sk8r, you mentioned growing at the seams, and I would almost swear that this one has grown, or swollen up since we got it. And it's only been 24 hours!! LOL
Thanks again for the replies. These things truely are fascinating. And now that I know that they are feet,.....I think I'm gonna go watch it for a while. (Again!) lol
Sk8r, you mentioned growing at the seams, and I would almost swear that this one has grown, or swollen up since we got it. And it's only been 24 hours!! LOL
Thanks again for the replies. These things truely are fascinating. And now that I know that they are feet,.....I think I'm gonna go watch it for a while. (Again!) lol
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