lurch Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 We just got a purple short spined urchin today. Really cool looking. Does anyone know if this urchin will scratch the acrylic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Sounds like a tuxedo urchin. I have two in my acrylic tank. No problems. Great cleaners. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I have seen regular short spined urchins...The problem with claiming it is short is really what the person considers short, if you compare spines of a "normal" urchin to a long spine, anything is short, LOL....Either way, I have not known any urchin to scratch acrylic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Sorry to be the voice of disent; but I've personally seen that damage that urchins can do to an acrylic tank and it was not pretty. I worked for about 4 hours to get out the chew marks and they were mostly out. I had one in my 50g glass SPS tank and it started munching on my SPS, and I had another one in my softy tank and it ate the Xenia and other corals. So, use them with caution... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Sorry to be the voice of disent; but I've personally seen that damage that urchins can do to an acrylic tank and it was not pretty. I worked for about 4 hours to get out the chew marks and they were mostly out. I had one in my 50g glass SPS tank and it started munching on my SPS' date=' and I had another one in my softy tank and it ate the Xenia and other corals. So, use them with caution...[/quote'] Ok, i never thought about them munching on th glass...I was thinking about their spines scratching the glass, so excuse my ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I have 2 tuxedos in my tank. they do a good job of eating the hair algae. they will eat coralline off rocks and glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Ok' date=' i never thought about them munching on th glass...I was thinking about their spines scratching the glass, so excuse my ignorance.[/quote'] Brandon, The glass is to hard for them to damage, its the acrylic that you have to worry about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Brandon, The glass is to hard for them to damage, its the acrylic that you have to worry about... I ment acrylic, durr!!!!! thanks for the correction, Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ahbrit Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 they won't eat from the acrylic if you keep it clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurch Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 they won't eat from the acrylic if you keep it clean good point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Do urchins really eat corals? I thought the just picked them up to disguise themselves, kinda like a decorator crab.... thats what I was told at least. I had a tuxedo in my 45g and he did a good job of cleaning algae, picking up zoas and carrying them around the tank... stuff like that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2reef-n Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I have a huge one that I got from Keith. It looks like a coconut donut and lugs around a floating thermometer. It lives in my 'fuge and ate up all my macroalgae:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Do urchins really eat corals? I thought the just picked them up to disguise themselves' date=' kinda like a decorator crab.... thats what I was told at least. I had a tuxedo in my 45g and he did a good job of cleaning algae, picking up zoas and carrying them around the tank... stuff like that.. [/quote'] Yes they do, both of the long spine ones I had ate Xenia, and would chew on the ends of my SPS. At first I thought it was something else but I saw the urchin doing it, so yes they do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 okay my bad. The long spines are notoriusly not reef safe, but the tuxedo, and the green one that looks kinda like a tuxedo are reefsafe. they just carry stuff around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madreef Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I agree. Never had a problem with the tuxedos. I have two long spined urchins that have been eating the tissue off the tips of the sps, and ate a favia right down to the skeleton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 (welcome) (To) (P) (N) (W) (M) (A) (S) Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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