Urchins going to town...

linuxguru · 03-27-2005, 10:02 AM

I have 2 Urchins 1 longspine, and 1 pencil and they are tearing up my aquacultured live rock, they are going to town on it and leaving everything white in their path. Is this a big deal, should i worry? Will my rock never look pretty as long as I have them in the tank? The rock was pretty, a lot of coraline coverage, but they have reduced it by abt 40 percent in two weeks.

tatuvaaj · 03-27-2005, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxguru

Is this a big deal, should i worry?

Not really, that's what they do

In small tanks they can do "damage" fast enough so that the coralline algae doesn't have time to regrow. So, if you want to keep your rocks purple, I recommend you to give them to someone else.

If I lived closer to you, I would love to have them!

Stupid coralline algae is much over-valued imho

vtec si · 03-27-2005, 12:40 PM

FME most urchin can damage a small tank in matter of months. I would only keep them in larg tanks 200+ gallons and that would only be the tuxedo/globe urchin JMO

!

Martin

linuxguru · 03-27-2005, 01:01 PM

When you say "damage" a tank, what exactly do you mean. The only damage I thought would be on the exterior of the rock, can they ruin the system completely?

**Ninong** · 03-27-2005, 01:02 PM

Here is a very good article on sea urchins: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rs/index.htm

That should help you reach a decision that is appropriate for you.

tatuvaaj · 03-27-2005, 01:06 PM

The question really is how much you like coralline algae. No one else can answer that for you

There are urchins that don't eat calcareous algae (at least in nature), for example Tripneustes gratilla.

03-27-2005, 10:02 AM	#1
linuxguru Just Moved In Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 38	Urchins going to town... I have 2 Urchins 1 longspine, and 1 pencil and they are tearing up my aquacultured live rock, they are going to town on it and leaving everything white in their path. Is this a big deal, should i worry? Will my rock never look pretty as long as I have them in the tank? The rock was pretty, a lot of coraline coverage, but they have reduced it by abt 40 percent in two weeks.

03-27-2005, 12:40 PM	#3
vtec si Governor Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Denver co, USA Posts: 1,017	FME most urchin can damage a small tank in matter of months. I would only keep them in larg tanks 200+ gallons and that would only be the tuxedo/globe urchin JMO ! Martin __________________ VTEC SI

03-27-2005, 01:02 PM	#5
Ninong Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Louisiana Posts: 20,691	Here is a very good article on sea urchins: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rs/index.htm That should help you reach a decision that is appropriate for you. __________________ Ninong

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03-27-2005, 01:01 PM	#4
linuxguru Just Moved In Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 38	When you say "damage" a tank, what exactly do you mean. The only damage I thought would be on the exterior of the rock, can they ruin the system completely?

03-27-2005, 01:06 PM	#6
tatuvaaj Tenant Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 73	The question really is how much you like coralline algae. No one else can answer that for you There are urchins that don't eat calcareous algae (at least in nature), for example Tripneustes gratilla.

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