sea urchin reef safe?

[19percula]

as above

would like to know are they safe before purchasing them to eat the algae on the walls of the tank

thanks

[lightningstrike]

i would rather use a credit card to scrap the algae off...... urchins more of a nuisance toppling off ur LRs. sold mine away lo....

[19percula]

okie thanks for info

[saikoo]

I have 1 pincushion urchin. It is reefsafe, only problem is that things will struck onto its spines include those hair-like plant.

[Guinness]

Some are definately not reef safe (eg: the imfamous crown of thorns [ Acanthaster SomfinkorOther ) most sold in LFS are safe. But no matter how safe they are to the reef, just be careful when u need to shift things around the tank, one could be hiding under the piece of rockwork you pick up....

Most feed on algae and some even help clean your bedding of food waste.

[arcanehacker]

yah.. may be reef safe but not human safe.. there are so many other choices of algae cleaners..

[19percula]

if he poke me then i bring him go hair dresser ah

cut like 1st time go NS like that

lol

[arcanehacker]

if he poke me then i bring him go hair dresser ah

cut like 1st time go NS like that

lol

hehe.. but then you gotta go thru the pain for the few days first..

[19percula]

ya but i m sure after the hair cut he will think twice before doing it again lol

[Guinness]

It's been brought to my attn, that a Crown of Thorns is not technically an urchin, but a starfish....

[Tanzy]

Urchins are reef safe except for the diadema long spine which I consider a pain to have in the tank during maintenance work.

Short spine and pin cushions are the best. They will eat coralline but never faster than coralline will grow so don't worry.

[blacknails]

Yup my black sea urchins haven't been giving me any problems since I bought them a year plus ago.. Still alive till today so pretty hardy.. They're reef safe and not much of a nusance... Just that you won't get to see them often in the day

[Achilles Tang]

For someone who have been hurt by a long spine urchin while scuba diving... i have one word.....

YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!

Just be careful with it.

Another thing to consider is that they are very very strong and will topple LR easily.

Also, their spines may pierce coral tissue as they walk around.... they don't really care and won't say 'sorry' to your bubble coral or elegance or pratas if they should poke them.

[saikoo]

Long time ago at Desaru, one of my friend stepped on a black urchin, there were at least 10 broken spines on his soles. The locals told us to use slipper to hit the sole until the blood flow out. For 10 mins we did nothing but whacked his sole until the blood came out. After that he just felt alright, no more pain at all- quite a miracle. If not, I was told that the pain will came up till your hair level.

[Achilles Tang]

Whack his sole until he bled????

What kind of theory is that?? Distraction?

Hair level... I tell you... the pain shivers through your body to the TIP of your hair!!! Quite exquisite if you ask me, almost orgasmic.

[19percula]

orgas

lol

[lightningstrike]

If u hv a styrofoam made backdrop in ur tank, my advice is NEVER HV A URCHIN IN UR TANK!!! That was the mistake i hv made. the urchin will crawl all over the shop and drag its spines against ur backdrop till u can c lots of tiny styrofoam bits floating on the tank surface and clogging ur filter wool!

[arcanehacker]

If u hv a styrofoam made backdrop in ur tank, my advice is NEVER HV A URCHIN IN UR TANK!!! That was the mistake i hv made. the urchin will crawl all over the shop and drag its spines against ur backdrop till u can c lots of tiny styrofoam bits floating on the tank surface and clogging ur filter wool!

.. styrofoam in your tank? Wouldn't it corrode?

then I guess no sponges either (those blue and purple kind)?...

[lightningstrike]

corrode??? no....... but juz an eyesore. my fishes r smart enuff to know those styrofoam bits r not food. no problem wif sponges, but beware ur bubbles kanna punctured, LRs topple, etc......

[19percula]

these fellows think they walk walk anyhow also can ah

don care others around

big shot maNZ

[arcanehacker]

these fellows think they walk walk anyhow also can ah

don care others around

big shot maNZ

with those kind of spikes?!.. of course big shot..

unless they meet up with harlequin shrimps..

[lightningstrike]

with those kind of spikes?!.. of course big shot..

unless they meet up with harlequin shrimps..

huh??? i thought harlequin shrimps only eat starfishes. do they eat sea urchins as well? can anyone comfirm this?

[arcanehacker]

huh??? i thought harlequin shrimps only eat starfishes. do they eat sea urchins as well? can anyone comfirm this?

yes.. but they prefer starfish more .. urchins only certain kinds..

More info: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Di...d=23&pCatId=749

[19percula]

there is once i saw a doc on star fish

some of them, actually eat sea urchin

really amazing