Urchin, good or bad?

mikienhecker · Apr 14, 2015

Im not sure where it came from but its in there. I bought liverock from florida and got some aiptasia covered rock from lfs to feed my berghias. The rock from lfs was near a tank full of three different kinds of urchin, long spine, pin cusion, and tuxedo.

mikienhecker · Apr 14, 2015

Here is a pic of the tank.

_Conway · Apr 15, 2015

Nice tank
Looks like a pencil urchin
I have a black spine they are sharper spines

_Conway · Apr 15, 2015

mikienhecker said:
Im not sure where it came from but its in there. I bought liverock from florida and got some aiptasia covered rock from lfs to feed my berghias. The rock from lfs was near a tank full of three different kinds of urchin, long spine, pin cusion, and tuxedo.

Good to me but opinions vary they eat coralinne

mikienhecker · Apr 15, 2015

Well i have plenty of coraline so its not a problem. I have a purple chiton that has been munching on it too but it cant even keep up. Thanks guys. I will research the pincushion urchin more

_Conway · Apr 16, 2015

I've read alot of people get rid of them when they get large and damage corals.

haleyf1024 · Apr 16, 2015

Are you in maryland by chance? Our LFS has those same urchins on their FL LR. Mine started small like that then grew. He is about 5 inches tip to tip. They are the purple florida urchins, forgot the real name. Mine eats coralline but doesn't bother anything at all. Mine is staying, so really it's up to you

Grauz · Apr 17, 2015

I received 6 of those little buggers (about the size of my little fingernail) with a shipment of Florida live rock about 8 months ago. They are now about 5 inches tip to tip and the only problem they cause is knocking loose items over. They are great at keeping my rock clean.

joshbbert · Apr 17, 2015

Love my rock boring urchin was my very first livestock as a hitchhiker the size if a dime now he's triple that size doesn't bother a thing only comes out at night

mikienhecker · Apr 17, 2015

That looks kinda like mine. I hope it is, that one looks awesome

KJ · Apr 19, 2015

Good picture.

joshbbert said:
Love my rock boring urchin was my very first livestock as a hitchhiker the size if a dime now he's triple that size doesn't bother a thing only comes out at night

mikienhecker · Apr 19, 2015

That is a great pic. I hope thats the kind i have. The one i have never comes out of the liverock. It just stays hidden

mrcoffee2 · Apr 19, 2015

In a couple months it will be too big to hide. I got rid of mine was poking corals, and knocking over frags

haleyf1024 · Apr 19, 2015

Mine hid at first too, and then he grew. My baby one hides too now, just wait it out. Mine seems to be very gentle and careful around frags. He climbs up my jewelbox clam that isn't secured to anything and the clam doesn't move, yet my hermit crabs knock it completely off the rocks. If you do have the purple spine type, he will be a beautiful purple color once he grows!