Best reef safe urchin

[Vette67]

I like Longspines they are black so no color but look very cool

Thing about long spines is I have had mine mow a frag down to the plug, I wouldn’t consider them reef safe. Also be ready for an animal that within about 5 year’s, will be about the size of a basketball, spine tip to spine tip. They get huge. My long spine is banished to my 75. Wish I hadn’t bought it, but it is doing fine, and I’ll keep it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pin cushion and tuxedo although they grab everything and carry with them

 

[Victor_C3]

I always had a single blue tuxedo urchin in my system, all the way from my 30 gallon setups to my current 115 gallon build. I never had issues with them not getting enough to eat.

I also never used any type of media or chemicals to lower my phosphate levels in my systems, just macro algae in my refugium. Plenty of algae and other things were always available for him to eat.

From my experience, coralline grows quick enough in a mature system that it was never an issue, no matter how much coralline they might have consumed.

 

[reefruss]

I love my blue tuxedo urchin. If you want more color, give it a zoa hat.

Here's mine.

 

[Rich Klein]

I have ~ 20 pincushion urchins in my 165 gal DT. The do a good job, and are entertaining as they pickup unusual stuff and carry it around like a hat. Here is a recent pic of one of mine with a mushroom hat. But they have picked up frag pieces and other random stuff.

 

[Whispers]

Blue tux and they eat turf algae

 

[tonyespinoza]

not to hijack the thread, but i'm wondering if i wanted to QT urchins... what could i feed them?

 

[Vette67]

not to hijack the thread, but i'm wondering if i wanted to QT urchins... what could i feed them?

Most urchins will readily eat Nori.

 

[MrAlpha]

I have managed to beat GHA, Dino’s, and even bryopsis (with fluconazole) but nothing has stopped a velvety red turf algae. I added a small pink Urchin that manages to keep the turf algae in check.

 

[LOVEROCK]

Blue tux and they eat turf algae

What color turf algae

 

[LOVEROCK]

I have managed to beat GHA, Dino’s, and even bryopsis (with fluconazole) but nothing has stopped a velvety red turf algae. I added a small pink Urchin that manages to keep the turf algae in check.

Can you be more specific which kind of pink urchins

 

[ReefGrammie]

Another vote for the pincushion. Yes, you have to be careful with frags because they will wear them and can drop them. I rescued this zoa frag:

And the air stone:

I've also rescued a few upside-down hermit crabs flailing around. Otherwise, the urchin keeps my tank glass squeaky clean from coralline and is pretty entertaining to watch, as long as it isn't carrying around my valuable frags!

 

[MrAlpha]

Can you be more specific which kind of pink urchins

It’s a pincushion urchin, mows down some algae

 

[VR28man]

@Jake Adams has a relevant article.....

Don’t Let Urchins Carry Corals Around Your Tank! | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Various urchins are among our favorite invertebrates to introduce to our reef tanks as part of the so-called ‘Clean Up Crew’. Among these the mild-mannered and attractive tuxedo urchin…

reefbuilders.com

 

[Whispers]

Stringy velvety

Red turf

 

[t5Nitro]

I have a real small pencil urchin from KPAquatics rock, maybe half inch in diameter. Is he ok to put in a mixed reef?

 

[Miami Reef]

@jda

 

[Miami Reef]

Urchins are such funny creatures, but I feel like I’m babysitting 80% of the time. I have 3 urchins in my 20 gallon QT and all they do is grab the snails and fighting conch. Sometimes they go to the frag rack and pick a coral of their choosing.

Urchins have the most personality!

 

[Chemaholic]

I love my urchin. He is my favorite critter. So much personality.

 

[bnord]

Had my urchin for five years now. Favorite of my tank, moves all over and does not bother anything.

sweet lil' tank...