Tuxedo Urchin... Yes or No?

[MN_ReeferKev]

Hello All,

Wondering what the Pros and Cons are for getting one of these? Considering getting one to keep some of the algae in check, but I have never had one before(or any urchin for that matter). Any information/thoughts greatly appreciated.

Regards

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I had them and they took care of any algae in the tank. Just make sure water quality is stable and ur corals/ if any are secured or else they will become decorations. Good luck

 

[Lavey29]

They are cool

 

[MN_ReeferKev]

I had them and they took care of any algae in the tank. Just make sure water quality is stable and ur corals/ if any are secured or else they will become decorations. Good luck

Seen a lot of ppl mention them picking things up... am I right in thinking corals are okay if they are glued down? thanks for the reply!

 

[shakacuz]

Seen a lot of ppl mention them picking things up... am I right in thinking corals are okay if they are glued down? thanks for the reply!

just because a coral is glued doesn’t necessarily mean it will stay. i have an electric blue hermit crab and he bulldozes through glued corals. i would assume an urchin is quite stronger, so make sure they are REALLY glued down

my urchin is in my sump as it is still small. so fortunately i don’t have to worry about corals becoming it’s hat

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Yes they will pick up things. Even hermit crabs and live snails. I have even caught mine with zoa polyps that were glued down that he somehow he got off thier rock. I was able to save those 3 polyps and get then back onto a rock. Anything not glued will be knocked over or worn. But it's funny, and a serious algea eater!!

Currently wearing 2 empty shells and some sand.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Tuxedos are great. Can they "bulldoze" stuff? Yes. Is it their fault? No. You try and be a big ol' tennis ball of spikes and get into the nooks and crannys. The small aquacultured ones generally ship pretty small so sometimes getting a gang of the teeeeeensy weeeensy ones is better than mr. baseball running around. Reefs break. It's just part of the hobby. I've seen them knock some frags loose but they aren't going after established colonies and they aren't doing it maliciously.

 

[hart24601]

I can’t imagine having a system without urchins, preferably tux! I don’t have a problem with moving stuff once glued down or in locking frag racks. Big pincushion can move a lot more than a tux.

Snails and crabs work ok, but urchins are the main algae consumer in many parts of the ocean stripping areas bare.

 

[Lavey29]

Seen a lot of ppl mention them picking things up... am I right in thinking corals are okay if they are glued down? thanks for the reply!

I've got a bunch of corals in my tank frags on rocks and sand. I have 3 tuxedos and they haven't damaged one frag in 5 months. They pick up empty snail shells or put a zoa polyp on for the fancy look but they maneuver in and out of glued SPS frags fine for me. I'm more worried about big turbo snails in there.

 

[Reeferbadness]

I just put 2 small ones in my 180g tank (from Algae Barn) - to help fight some green hair algae. Not sure how these teeny guys could knock any corals around - should i expect them to grow considerably ?