Tuxedo - new top hat and accessories

[Nachopapa]

My blue tuxedo went on a collecting bender yesterday while I was at work. Came home to find him like this… zoom in /look closely as he managed to get the entire frag and plug on his head in addition to all of the shells. It took some effort to pry it loose, no clue how he was holding it so tightly.

 

[Sean Clark]

All of these urchin top hat posts always make me want to pick up a few.

 

[saltyfins]

My blue tuxedo went on a collecting bender yesterday while I was at work. Came home to find him like this… zoom in /look closely as he managed to get the entire frag and plug on his head in addition to all of the shells. It took some effort to pry it loose, no clue how he was holding it so tightly.

he was ready for a night on the town!!

 

[Karen00]

Urchins are hilarious! So how do they get stuff attached to them, like that frag plug on top and the shells on the side? Do they roll around on things or do their spines move like a conveyor belt that moves the items around? I can understand stuff getting stuck to them near the substrate as they move around but seeing items all over them is amazing!

 

[Nachopapa]

Urchins are hilarious! So how do they get stuff attached to them, like that frag plug on top and the shells on the side? Do they roll around on things or do their spines move like a conveyor belt that moves the items around? I can understand stuff getting stuck to them near the substrate as they move around but seeing items all over them is amazing!

Agreed. I have no clue how he did it

 

[JachPot]

Mine picked up my zoa frag and threw it into my holographic hammer yesterday. So I pulled it and glued it down better and moved the urchin to the other side of the tank lol

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

They walk the rocks/shells/frags up from the side to the top. It adds weight and camouflage.

Prying things loose from an urchin can cause serious damage. Even if it takes 10 minutes, just hold onto the frag, and very gently pull. Don't try to pry it off. It will let go

 

[Karen00]

They walk the rocks/shells/frags up from the side to the top. It adds weight and camouflage.

Prying things loose from an urchin can cause serious damage. Even if it takes 10 minutes, just hold onto the frag, and very gently pull. Don't try to pry it off. It will let go

So when you say "walk" the objects up is it like a conveyor belt moving stuff from the bottom/side to the top? I've seen the pics on here and it's mind blowing how intricate the objects and placement are (or appear to be) on these guys! I had no idea they did this until joining this forum and seeing the pics. I wish there were dwarf/micro urchins I could keep in my 5g.

 

[Nachopapa]

So when you say "walk" the objects up is it like a conveyor belt moving stuff from the bottom/side to the top? I've seen the pics on here and it's mind blowing how intricate the objects and placement are (or appear to be) on these guys! I had no idea they did this until joining this forum and seeing the pics. I wish there were dwarf/micro urchins I could keep in my 5g.

I can’t speak to volume /gallons need… but they definitely need lots of mature rocks with fine algae or growth to eat

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

So when you say "walk" the objects up is it like a conveyor belt moving stuff from the bottom/side to the top? I've seen the pics on here and it's mind blowing how intricate the objects and placement are (or appear to be) on these guys! I had no idea they did this until joining this forum and seeing the pics. I wish there were dwarf/micro urchins I could keep in my 5g.

I suppose "hand off" would have been the more correct phrase.

The urchins whole body is covered by tube feet and spines. Kind of a suction cup on a moveable straw that extends past the spines , used to move around, grip things and yes, assemble camouflage. When they run into something moveable, they can lift it and pass it up along the tube feet to the top of their body.

 

[Karen00]

I can’t speak to volume /gallons need… but they definitely need lots of mature rocks with fine algae or growth to eat

For sure. My tank isn't mature enough regardless but I don't think big enough. I've seen little guys (I'm assuming really young ones) that were smaller than a golf ball. So cute!! But I'm assuming they get to the size I've seen posted here (I think that's what the LFS said when I asked).

 

[Karen00]

I suppose "hand off" would have been the more correct phrase.

The urchins whole body is covered by tube feet and spines. Kind of a suction cup on a moveable straw that extends past the spines , used to move around, grip things and yes, assemble camouflage. When they run into something moveable, they can lift it and pass it up along the tube feet to the top of their body.

That is amazing!! Very cool.