Check out my new friend

[gwen_o_lyn]

Reef tanks just amaze me.... I have NO IDEA where this came from, but I got a new critter roaming around. I've never been a fan of critters with sharp spines so I put him in the sump for now.

Ya think he is safe in the main tank???
Are all urchins harmless?? I know nothing about them since I never planned to get one- they just creep me out!! But this is really cool- I like my new buddy!!! :huh:

Isn't he handsome???
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="tank 035.jpg_Thumbnail1.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[showtime305]

That is pretty cool. This is the first hitchhiker urchin case that I've heard.

 

[sprayin70]

Neat! He looks great!

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

Showtime305 wrote: That is pretty cool. This is the first hitchhiker urchin case that I've heard.

that's pretty cool to hear that!! It's not quite as good as the octopus hitchhiker on RC though!! But still I'm excited!

Thanks guys!!

 

[wolfie]

look slimy

 

[schwaggs]

I think most are harmless. Most I have seen eat coraline so be careful of that. They also seem to have the habbit of re-arranging the smaller rocks and corals that are not anchored.

 

[jessezm]

When I was in Thailand snorkeling there were black spiny urchins devouring the reef. Not that that is one of them, but there are certainly some that can do damage.

 

[kevin]

Urchins can be messy too....they knock things over all the time, or in my case (a jewel urchin) carries things on his back (zoanthids, GSP, hermit crabs, etc)

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

Thanks for the comments... not sure what I should do with him. I wonder if my sump has enuff food to keep him alive.

 

[kevin]

he should be ok for a little while... you could throw some nori in there if you wanted to give him some veggies

 

[maureen]

Looks like a black sea urchin to me. You do want to be careful as they have a tendency to knock over rocks, etc. and may sting fish if they get close enough. That being said, they are wonderful additions for the control of algae. They also feed on detritus and seaweed. As long as he has plenty of algae, his "pallet" should be quite satisfied.

On a side note, there was a great plaque of the black sea urchins (Diadema antillarium</em>) in the Caribbean a few years back. We are just now beginning to see the population recover to a sustainable number. During their die-off, however, there was an incredible increase in the percentage of algae cover in the patch reefs. Consequently the number of hard and soft corals also began to decline because they simply couldn't claim the space in this sterile environment fast enough.

 

[kevin]

I remember reading about that

 

[lifestudent]

Gwen, that may be a "rock urchin" in which case they do eat nuisiance algaes as well as coraline algae. I have 2 in my 75G and my daughter has 1 in her 20G. We've had ours for ~3 years.

Bob

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

kj_yoda wrote: I remember reading about that

yup me too... there was an article in seascope about it awhile back. Very interesting read.

I think I will put him in the display and keep a close eye on him. I certainly don't want him to die and I really wonder if there is enuff food in the sump.

Thanks for the responses!