Snails or Urchins - which one eats more algae?

[Miami Reef]

Pretend you had a large amount of algae in your massive public aquarium. You have unlimited funds to overcrowd your tank with snails…or urchins.

If the goal is to clear it as soon as possible…which one are you going with?

 

[ApoIsland]

Urchins for sure. No way I'm putting one in a home reef tank though.

 

[Reefing102]

I would go snail as they can get the smaller areas but urchins would probably do it quicker

 

[Miami Reef]

Urchins for sure. No way I'm putting one in a home reef tank though.

Why “no way”? Is there something bad about them?

 

[davidcalgary29]

snails…or urchins.

Yes.

 

[ApoIsland]

Why “no way”? Is there something bad about them?

Look at those spines. I can only imagine the damage that could be done to lps corals. Plus a lot of them also strip away rock with that algae they eat. Those things are no joke with their ability to scrape a rock.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Urchins are extremely effective but their basically a bulldozer covered in super 77 adhesive spray (species dependent). A lot of them have suckers that come out and grab on to everything not nailed down.

 

[DK450reef]

Pretend you had a large amount of algae in your massive public aquarium. You have unlimited funds to overcrowd your tank with snails…or urchins.

If the goal is to clear it as soon as possible…which one are you going with?

Urchin for sure you can see him cross a rock and take back to nearly white rock again

 

[Backreefing]

Urchins eat more algae and faster , but they are species depending on reef compatibility. A urchin will eat algae B urchin will escalate your coraline algae instead C urchin will eat all your zoas . So choose wisely. Snails are better at film algae.

 

[Uncle99]

Urchin, also includes eating coralline algae and bowling over corals sometimes.
Some are absolutely stunning.

 

[bnord]

Snails as a statement is pretty generic, Trochus does a great job, as do turbos, but urchins can clear and path like no one.

both turbos and urchins keep you honest in your efforts to affix your frags with care.

have a trusted friend who says a pencil urchin chewed through a powerhead cable - I have MP40s (smile)

My pencil stays in a small radius, but keeps it spotless - unless it ranges far at night and come back home.