Matha's Sea Urchin

[andsoitgoes]

although this isn't a pic of MY urchin, it's almost exactly the same:

http://www.starfish.ch/photos/echinoderms-Stachelhauter/seaurchins-Seeigel/Echinometra-mathaei.jpg

Anyone have any experience with these guys? mine is much smaller, and I was just completely floored by its appearance in OA when I went to get some supplies today. At 10 bucks and with shorter than average spines, he seemed a good choice, and is doing well so far - but do people have these in softy tanks with good luck? Don't want to see the Swiss Cheese of Mushrooms in the near future ;)

nick

[Samw]

They eat Coraline algae off of live rock. So you might notice holes in your liverock eventually.

[andsoitgoes]

hmm - How MUCH coraline do they usually munch on though? Is that their primary diet? Or will they focus on other kinds first?

[marie]

coraline algae is pretty much there first choice but they don't seem to put much of a dent in the overall coverage. In fact I have heard that they actually help to spread coraline algae around.

The problem with urchins is that they will move everything around. I had an urchin that hitchhiked in on some rock that looked a lot like the one in the picture. It grew to be soft ball size and could move (flip over) an 8" by 8" rock no problem. It's idea of aquascaping and my ideas were at odds so it had to go :lol: