Tuxedo urchin/coralline algae ....can you have both?

[saltyhog]

Like it says. I got a Blue Tuxedo Urchin about a year ago. My rock was all bright purple/pink. Now it's just kind of a gray color. All the coralline is gone. All my SPS is doing well and growing fast. My parameters are ok Alk 8.0, Ca 430, PO4 0.02, Nitrate undetectable, Mg 1425. Tank is 72x24x21 155 gallon display, 50 gal sump.

Anything I can do other than remove the urchin? I'm ok with the gray rock but I would like to have my bright colors back if possible.

 

[Triggreef]

They do munch coralline, get some nice encrusting leptos and psammacoras and let them go to town!

 

[Steve Maxwell]

I've had a tuxedo urchin for the 2 years I've had my tank up and I have coralline algae on my rocks & back of my BioCube...he must not like coralline, but he definitely loves moving my zoas around

 

[saltyhog]

They do munch coralline, get some nice encrusting leptos and psammacoras and let them go to town!

Ooooh! I like that idea. Think they would grow on the overflow/vertical surface?

 

[Triggreef]

They definitely would.

 

[Supurderek]

Yes. I have four urchins and they take small. It's that rarely even can be seen in the mass of coralline.