Urchins, Coralline, and Acrylic

[Kinetic]

I've read that the black longspine urchins are fairly reef safe (nobody has found them to eat corals) and eat all nuisance algae, from hair to coralline.

I'm planning a BB tank, but it's acrylic, and I'm thinking of using starboard on the bottom. I'm hoping to get a longspine to keep the coralline off the starboard to keep the white look, as well as to control the other algae problems that may come up. Problem is, the tank is acrylic, will it scratch?

 

[sjfishguy]

I wouldnt trust a longspine urchin in my reef tank. I know they are SUPPOSE to be herbiverous, but I have also heard they can eat soft poyps like zoos and xenia. Not in my reef.

 

[Tang Salad]

Urchins can and do scratch acrylic, I've been told.

It's not necessarily the spines, but their sharp, scraping mouths that do it.

 

[tkeracer619]

i have a long spine urchin that is almost a foot across. It doesn't eat corals. He is very well mannered and always gets a good reaction from people.

 

[Tang Salad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8337889#post8337889 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tkeracer619
i have a long spine urchin that is almost a foot across. It doesn't eat corals. He is very well mannered and always gets a good reaction from people.

WOW!! :eek2:

That is huge! How big is your tank? Any pics?

Thanks