Tuxedo urchin feeding

[urchincoralfish]

Hi all, I have recently purchased a tuxedo urchin for my 32 gallon bio cube mixed reef. The problem is is that he takes like 9 hours to eat an alage wafer, and it made me worried. I was wondering if you guys thought that this was normal or not?

 

[Duncan62]

Hi all, I have recently purchased a tuxedo urchin for my 32 gallon bio cube mixed reef. The problem is is that he takes like 9 hours to eat an alage wafer, and it made me worried. I was wondering if you guys thought that this was normal or not?

Give him half next time. Did he just sit on the wafer till it was gone?

 

[rmorris_14]

I dont have experience specifically with urchins but I have found that with those algae wafers, a little bit goes a LONG way. My hermits will sit and eat on them FOREVER and not even finish the piece they are working on.

 

[urchincoralfish]

Give him half next time. Did he just sit on the wafer till it was gone?

Yeah he did

 

[urchincoralfish]

I dont have experience specifically with urchins but I have found that with those algae wafers, a little bit goes a LONG way. My hermits will sit and eat on them FOREVER and not even finish the piece they are working on

 

[vetteguy53081]

They are mainly dark time/nocturnal feeders and diet is mainly algae., coralline, dried seaweed/nori and macroalgaes.

 

[urchincoralfish]

They are mainly dark time/nocturnal feeders and diet is mainly algae., coralline, dried seaweed/nori and macroalgaes.

Ok so will he just eat whatever they can find then? I’m just worried about him starving since he destroyed all of it in about 2 nights

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok so will he just eat whatever they can find then? I’m just worried about him starving since he destroyed all of it in about 2 nights

Yes as they are scavengers. This also works:

 

[urchincoralfish]

Yes as they are scavengers. This also works:

Oh great! That’s what I’m using right now but they fall apart real fast. Will that polute the tank a ton?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh great! That’s what I’m using right now but they fall apart real fast. Will that polute the tank a ton?

no as long as you dont overfeed

 

[urchincoralfish]

no as long as you dont overfeed

Ok thanks

 

[BuddyBonButt]

Yes as they are scavengers. This also works:

I bought this yesterday thinking it wasn't a well known recommendation. Just wanted to try it and here I am seeing someone recommend it lol.

 

[CoralB]

You will be fine !! A half a algae wafer , nori, pellets ,as long as it’s algae they will eat . If your tank shows signs of natural occurring algae just cut back on the supplementation of the algae wafers so that he hunts out and keeps the tank clean of algae . Make sure though that there are no competitors for the wafers . If that’s the case put the wafers directly under it and watch to make sure it stays on top and eats it . I have three tuxedos urchins in my main tank and never fed them as when their not eating algae off the rock and back glass they much any left over nori from feeding my tangs .

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh great! That’s what I’m using right now but they fall apart real fast. Will that polute the tank a ton?

Clean food and feed 2-3 x a week.