Poll: Sea urchins as pets

[Hiachi20]

I have one diadema setosum in my 75g tank. It moves, eats, poops, and spawns well. I want more urchins in general but I am picky on species. Palmeri, savingyi, or white diadema preferably, or a anything unique and cool. I don't care for tuxedos for example, they're too common.

 

[savetheocean]

I had one but sadly a rock tipped over and smashed it overnight. It was a real mess to clean up.

 

[BenitaSolo]

I had one for many moons until I decided I wanted coraline algae. Took the Halloween tuxedo urchin back to the store!

 

[themcnertney]

 

[tastyfish]

I keep a single Blue Tuxedo urchin (Mespilia globulus) in a 4x2x2 reef tank.

He's been in there for 3 years now and doing well, keeping the coraline algae and any other algae or macro algae that tries to get a foothold in check. They are very easy to keep and serve a purpose in the tank.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I've had a pincushion urchin in my tank for almost a year. I absolutely love her. I'll be honest and say that I've been surprised she's lasted this long, especially in my Innovative Marine 40.

 

[themcnertney]

One time this guy got me under the finger nail. Spine broke off and was a good 1/4" under the nail. I couldn't remove it. Arm went numb and was pretty painful. Called poison control and they told me to go the ER. When I arrived I checked in. Was immediately rushed to a room. They soaked my finger in iodine and warm water. Given I live in Akron Ohio and the hospital I went to has never had a documented case and didn't know how to treat it. They called some hospitals on the coast. Anyway they ended up numbing my finger with some local antiseptic. Used a scalpel and had to cut out the spine from under the nail. Stitched me up and sent me home.

Two weeks later my buddy was having a conversation with a lady friend of his that she had worked at the hospital that night. Guy came in and stung by a sea urchin. He was like I know him. That's my friend Dan.

 

[AlexG]

I keep 5 species of urchins in my system at this time. In total there are around a dozen sea urchins in my system and they are great algae eaters. As long as everything is secured to the rocks they should not push too many corals around. One advantage they have over snails is that most wrasses will not attempt to mess with them. I do have one wrasse though that every now and then tries to pick at the tube feet of my pincushion urchins. I have always had good luck with urchins in my tanks even when they were stocked with lots of LPS and clams.

 

[Royal_T]

Just picked up a free, long spine urchin from a local reefer that didn't want him anymore. Very fascinating to watch!
Being cautious, I used acrylic rods like Chinese chopsticks to transfer him.

 

[Tim Olson]

I have a Tuxedo Urchin and it's been a great addition to my tank. It been doing a great job eating the green hair algae, much better than anything else. It's really fun to watch too.

 

[gashunk]

I’ve had a pin cushion one thaf I had to remove it got a taste for lps and loved it so it had to go and I had s tuxedo who was cool so I was able to keep that one

 

[Jizu Puentes]

I'd only ever consider an urchin for a fish only tank. I wouldn't want it carrying anything in my reef tank or getting onto any coral.

 

[jgvergo]

I've had this guy for a couple of months. No problem...so far.

 

[FishLipz]

I have a blue tuxedo, a false fire urchin and a red bell’s urchin. They are very low maintenance in my experience. I think a fair amount of my success is attributed to keeping a mildly dirty tank. There is always a little detritus or algae somewhere in my tank and I don’t worry about it. My parameters are in a good range and my tank has been stable for years so if it isn’t broke, I don’t try to tinker with it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

 

[ubasu]

I just got a tuxedo urchin this past weekend. There are two algae free paths through a rock that is covered in hair algae you can see the exact path it took.

 

[van7271]

Had a pencil urchin for about 5 years with no problems. Then one day he decided he liked the taste of polys. He would mow them down like a lawn mower.

 

[SourAngelfish]

There was a guy at a petco about to throw one away, it had no spines and was in a tank full of triggers, I took it for free and gave it a ton of nori, I’ve had it for about a year now and it has grown all of its spines back

 

[Flexin]

Do you need to QT and urchin? I’ve waned one for some time..

 

[SourAngelfish]

Do you need to QT and urchin? I’ve waned one for some time..

I personally don’t quarantine inverts, but it wouldn’t do any harm.