Quick question about tangs

[JahStar]

Btw thank you all for the help. I read and considered them all for my tank and heres what I did: 1 I took most of the rock out and the ones without coral on them I sprayed with hydrogen peroxide then soaked in ro for 10-15 minutes then I ordered carbon and gfo packets to remove phosphates (My carbon became depleted and the water wasn’t as clear) and I’m going to have my lfs order some more blue tuxedo urchins. I immediately ruled the pin cushion urchin because literally none or my rocks are glued down… After the manual removal the tank is looking great but I want to get the other stuff because I don’t want to contain the algae I want to get rid of it completely.

After I get rid of the algae I don’t want to re-introduce the algae into the system to don that what should I dip the corals in?

Great job proud of Ya. Keep up the good work

 

[i cant think]

Different species of animals behave differently. Can't imagine how a tuxedo urchin would catch and eat a fish, for example. It's got basically no spines.

They have a mouth and all animals will eat to survive. Urchins aren’t 100% herbivorous and will be opportunistic hunters.
Remember, in the wild animals never know when their next meal will be.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

Different species of animals behave differently. Can't imagine how a tuxedo urchin would catch and eat a fish, for example. It's got basically no spines.

A tuxedo urchin is not a predator, totally reef and fish safe, from my experience.

 

[John Bolden]

A tuxedo urchin is not a predator, totally reef and fish safe, from my experience.

As has mine been I can even pick it up and put it on my hand and he just moves off! Thanks for all the help

 

[Tired]

They have a mouth and all animals will eat to survive. Urchins aren’t 100% herbivorous and will be opportunistic hunters.
Remember, in the wild animals never know when their next meal will be.

A starving tuxedo urchin would maybe eat a fish that's in a coma, but short of that, I don't know how it would catch one. If tuxedos were capable of and inclined to eat fish, under any circumstances, wouldn't we also see a lot more reports of them eating coral? Coral is much easier to catch than fish.

 

[i cant think]

A starving tuxedo urchin would maybe eat a fish that's in a coma, but short of that, I don't know how it would catch one. If tuxedos were capable of and inclined to eat fish, under any circumstances, wouldn't we also see a lot more reports of them eating coral? Coral is much easier to catch than fish.

Not necessarily. My Pincushions take down small fish however they never touch coral. This is most likely due to a substance found in certain coral (Such as softies).

 

[Tired]

How is a pincushion urchin capturing and killing fish? Do they grab on with the suction feet somehow?

 

[i cant think]

How is a pincushion urchin capturing and killing fish? Do they grab on with the suction feet somehow?

I couldn’t actually tell you how I’m just saying it’s possible and not something that should be left out. The Possum was fast asleep and most likely the urchin had caught him in the corner of the tank.

All I know is I was kept awake all night because of this crunching and cracking noise (Extremely traumatic noises) and had no idea why until a few hours later I saw it and it. Atleast 12 hours of munching.

 

[Tired]

Unless you've actually seen the urchin capture a fish, I'd be more inclined to think that the wrasse died of something and was eaten by the urchin.

 

[i cant think]

Unless you've actually seen the urchin capture a fish, I'd be more inclined to think that the wrasse died of something and was eaten by the urchin.

The difference is I know the wrasse wasn’t undergoing any issues as he was healthy, happy, eating everything and anything. The urchin took it as a snack, and it wasn’t the first time I had witnessed an urchin take a fish out. I had previously watched a Tuxedo chew on a fish that was asleep. This was in the LFS when I worked there and it most definitely took a snack on the fish. It was a Pink Streak Wrasse so again, a small species.

Urchins in my opinion tend to be much less reef safe than everyone says they are and it is due to them being Opportunistic hunters. They never know when their next meal is so they’ll take the chance they have.

 

[Tired]

The wrasse could have jumped and hurt itself on the hood, or, heck, had a little heart attack. And I can't imagine a healthy sleeping fish just hanging out and letting an urchin chew on it- seems like it'd notice in a hurry.

 

[i cant think]

The wrasse could have jumped and hurt itself on the hood, or, heck, had a little heart attack. And I can't imagine a healthy sleeping fish just hanging out and letting an urchin chew on it- seems like it'd notice in a hurry.

When it comes to small fish like Wetmorella and Pseudocheilinops species then it doesn’t take long for the urchin to kill it.
Also, both species I mentioned were comfortable in their environments and had no stressing factors.

Again, I’m not saying they’re bad as I do still have both of mine in my 4’ tank however I do think the way they will be Opportunistic needs to be taken into consideration when seeing if an urchin is a good or bad move.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I don’t think anyone would say a 20g is near enough for the most juvenile of tangs. Your best bet for that size tank is a blenny, but I don’t think many have had luck with a fish and hair algae. I would opt for manual removal and nutrient export that is causing the hair algae. Cut back on lights and lighter feeding.

Not to add fuel to the fire, but my captive-bred yellow tang certainly eats GHA; I watch it do this every day. I harvest it from another tank and add it to its own. This tang gets a steady supply of nori on a clip (okay, an algae scraper, but it's the same thing).

Of course, I don't have the tang in a 20g tank, either...

 

[John Bolden]

This guy is already mowing down algae.

 

[i cant think]

This guy is already mowing down algae.

Tuxedos are beautiful, have you had any issues with him and small fish (~1”)?

 

[homegrowncichlid]

Unless you've actually seen the urchin capture a fish, I'd be more inclined to think that the wrasse died of something and was eaten by the urchin.

University of Chicago Press Journals: Cookie absent

This links to the common North Atlantic urchin species eating mummichug, a killifish. It's the not the speed, its the way they sneak up on a fish while its sleeping. This explains the mechanism of how an urchin can capture a live, healthy fish as prey. As for tuxedo or pin cushion species which are commonly available in the trade, capturing healthy prey, I would also have to agree with "Tired," in that the urchin could simply be scavenging the fish remains as opposed to a healthy fish.

 

[Tired]

Oh, that's interesting. It certainly looks much more capable of containing prey, with those longer spines- it has to have a way to keep ahold of the fish once the poor thing wakes up, after all.

I suppose the thing to do with those urchins would be to make sure that the fish all have small niches to sleep in, where the urchin can't reach. I imagine they'd have trouble doing anything with barnacle blennies, for example.

 

[davidcalgary29]

They have a mouth and all animals will eat to survive. Urchins aren’t 100% herbivorous and will be opportunistic hunters.
Remember, in the wild animals never know when their next meal will be.

These guys move unsettlingly quickly when the dinner bell is rung...