Reefing with Royal Urchins

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by Matt Rogers, Mar 21, 2012.

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  1. kcbrad

    kcbrad Giant Squid

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    I've had my Halloween urchin for close to 2 years. Hasn't hurt a thing :) He touches my coral and clams all the time (and sometimes my fish eat algae off his back that he's carrying around!). But I did read some think they are toxic, but not proven just how toxic. So always be careful!

    P.s. I have one in my 40 gallon tank too - have had him for 6 months or so.
     
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  3. pink4miss

    pink4miss Panda Puffer

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    i also have one of the Tripneustes gratilla urchins in my tank, i have moved it from spots many times and never had an issue from handling it. Also LA lists it as peaceful, i would think they would have something written about it being toxic if it was. they always disclose that info about creatures
     
  4. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    Congrats on the new add! I have a short spined urchin and a blue tuxedo. I never see the short spiny urchin, but the blue tuxedo is always out and about, and now that you mention it, in 1 of 3 distinct areas of the tank. He's always putting on different camo, the best is when he picks up a poor hermit and carries the poor thing around the tank. I will say its quite funny watching a hermit flailing its legs around trying to get off of it. Inevitably the urchin gets close enough to something for the hermit to grab and pull himself free.
     
  5. zoo 4 life

    zoo 4 life Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Very nice Matt! I had to make an agreement with my urchin, I had to give him some tree coral and all the snail shells he could carry in exchange for not trying to yank my Zoo colonies off their rocks! He would go up to the zoo colonies and grab one of the polyps and streach and pull for all he was worth! I had a floating thermometer in there with him for a little while, but he was trying to carry that down to the bottom of the tank with him every day! This did not work so well and he ended up at the top floating around attached to the thermometer! Here's a pic of him in action.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Thanks guys and love that pic! That is hilarious.
     
  7. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Matt,

    Yes, I dug up a month old post. I was looking for info on spot feeding him, I never have thus far.

    NIce write up on the Urchin.

    That pic looks different than my Royal Urchin.
    I"m attching a pic many months ago when he had a Paly frag on his back.
    That same frag is now ~ 75 heads on a rock.
     

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  9. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Nice pic!
    Why do you want to spot-feed your urchin?
     
  10. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Thanks Matt,

    I guess I don't. He's been doing well for over 6 months, but I thought I'd check into it.

    I have so much corralline, I should get more than one!

    Looks like it's not needed to. I was wondering if, and how others physically did it with the mouth on the bottom.
     
  11. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Yeah it's not something I worry about as there is certainly a ton of food for it in my tank :lol: probably in most tanks I'd think.
     
  12. videosilva

    videosilva Plankton

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    One of the MUST haves in a marine aquarium. Will keep any algae in cheek, will also leave a white streak as it eats right into the rock. Caroline will grow back QUICKER on the bare rock.

    Another must have is a wrasse any wrasse. They are shaped to dig into small places and eat any bugs etc. in the tank.

    And of course snails, you can never have too much. They will eat whatever food is left on the sand floor.