Best urchin for nano reef?

[pico1]

Any suggestions?

[ndrobey]

For what size tank? 1 gallon? 10 gallons? 20 gallons? What tank inhabitants do you have?

[Benny314]

Think tuxedo urchins stay small, I've just got one but I have a 300+ litre system, he's awesome. Make sure all your frags etc are glued down though as they have a habit of wearing things as hats.

[Gooburz]

I'd avoid them in nano systems, they have a massive apatite and nano systems don't provide what they'll need. Once the food runs out they will go after the coraline on your rock and they are notorious for knocking corals down and will munch on them as well.

[Murphs_Reef]

I'd avoid them in nano systems, they have a massive apatite and nano systems don't provide what they'll need. Once the food runs out they will go after the coraline on your rock and they are notorious for knocking corals down and will munch on them as well.

 

Damn...

[HarryPotter]

I'd avoid them in nano systems, they have a massive apatite and nano systems don't provide what they'll need. Once the food runs out they will go after the coraline on your rock and they are notorious for knocking corals down and will munch on them as well.

Dunno about eating coral... ReefBuilders on Tuxedo Urchins says they won't eat coral AND specifically try to avoid obstacles in your tank- including coral.

 

Also they don't only eat Coraline, in fact it just makes up a small part of their diet

[ETCs_Lady]

Make sure all your frags etc are glued down though as they have a habit of wearing things as hats.

Like this?

 

I love my PinCushin. (Though I now have the Dendros attached to a base plate under the sand.)

 

He is awesome. I have him in my BC29.

[Benny314]

^Yep, that lol^

 

Mines been wearing some fluffy algae like a wig lately. It hasn't worked out it's ment to eat the algae not wear it.

[ETCs_Lady]

I had to move my Dragon's Breath to my other tank... he was tearing it to shreds. Man he loves that stuff!

[reefernanoman]

Tuxedo sea urchins, but your tank needs to have a little GHA inside for them not to starve.

[GoingPostal]

Ugh we had a pencil urchin hitchhike in on a coral rock a few years ago, so tiny we couldn't even tell what it was. Now it's a bulldozing crapping monster in my 24 gallon, can't find anyone to take the thing. Knocks over coral on a daily basis and clears huge white strips on my rock. Pincushions stay smaller but will still move your frags around.

[masssnapz]

Tuxedo sea urchins, but your tank needs to have a little GHA inside for them not to starve.

How about brown hair algae ?

[reefernanoman]

How about brown hair algae ?

I think it does eat it too because my tank was pretty much 90% algae free. But I'm not 100% sure TBH.

[Neebles]

Dunno about eating coral... ReefBuilders on Tuxedo Urchins says they won't eat coral AND specifically try to avoid obstacles in your tank- including coral.

 

Also they don't only eat Coraline, in fact it just makes up a small part of their diet

I know for a fact that my tuxedo urchin ate my toadstool....I caught him in the act.

 

Urchins can be a pain in the butt. While they do a good job on the algae, they are a nightmare to anything not glued down.

[reefernanoman]

I know for a fact that my tuxedo urchin ate my toadstool....I caught him in the act.

Urchins can be a pain in the butt. While they do a good job on the algae, they are a nightmare to anything not glued down.

I agree. They will take anything that is not glued down for a ride. Since mine was murdered by my MCF I just take a brush to my GHA when I see it.

[Polarcollision]

I have a tuxedo urchin with the pink spines. It eats every algae in the tank except for red flame. It does scrape away coralline but it grows back so fast it barely matters.

[masssnapz]

I think it does eat it too because my tank was pretty much 90% algae free. But I'm not 100% sure TBH.

Ok cool, every once in a while this one god damn rock will randomly grow a bush while I'm at work. Like literally one rock.