Pincushion Urchin

[smokinjoe2122]

hey guys,

I have a pincushion sea urchin on hold for me at the pet store to pick up tomorrow. I have moved my tank and it's getting more algea because of sunlight and I always liked sea urchins so I'm giving it a go. I have a chocolate chip star that eats turbo snails like candy, would he pose a problem with the urchin? Or would the spines protect him enough if the star deceided to attack? I have a 29 gallon hex tank, lots of live rock, probably 50+ lbs... I also have a purple reef lobster which I would think wouldn't be a threat, or vise vera, and a pair of false perc. clowns... I have read that if they don't get enough algea they'll eat your coraline off of live rocks, but you can feed them with dried seaweed to keep them full. Has anyone tried to feed them the dried sea weed, and does it help if they don't have enough algea to eat?? Would a clip style feeding rig work? Right now the urchin is small, maybe half dollar sized, if that, and it's white-ish grey...

 

[Crazy fishes]

I have a diadema urchin which has pretty much the same diet as the pincushion. Dried seaweed is excellent for adding a little more to their diet but beware as the sea weed increases both nitrate and phosphate if left in the tank for long periods eg a few days. I know this from experience as my phosphate jumped to 1ppm from <0.015ppm in the space of two week of constant use of the dried seaweed. Pincushion urchins are much better suited to the nano environment and are less prone to knock the rock work around. With regards the star fish I would assume from my reading into the matter and just gut instinct that the urchin should be fine. I have never owned a star so have no experience in their behaviour patterns, just a theoretical knowledge.

Hope this helps

Regards

 

[smokinjoe2122]

hey guys,

I have a pincushion sea urchin on hold for me at the pet store to pick up tomorrow. I have moved my tank and it's getting more algea because of sunlight and I always liked sea urchins so I'm giving it a go. I have a chocolate chip star that eats turbo snails like candy, would he pose a problem with the urchin? Or would the spines protect him enough if the star deceided to attack? I have a 29 gallon hex tank, lots of live rock, probably 50+ lbs... I also have a purple reef lobster which I would think wouldn't be a threat, or vise vera, and a pair of false perc. clowns... I have read that if they don't get enough algea they'll eat your coraline off of live rocks, but you can feed them with dried seaweed to keep them full. Has anyone tried to feed them the dried sea weed, and does it help if they don't have enough algea to eat?? Would a clip style feeding rig work? Right now the urchin is small, maybe half dollar sized, if that, and it's white-ish grey...

?

 

[Crazy fishes]

What haven't I explained properly?

Regards

 

[smokinjoe2122]

That's so odd, before your post didn't show up....BUT now it shows up and helps a lot... How did you feed the dried seaweed to the urchin? I read a rubber band around a peice of live rock, or even a fish feeding clip works well. Thank you for the info about the seaweed increasing phosphates.

 

[seffieuk]

hey guys,

I have a pincushion sea urchin on hold for me at the pet store to pick up tomorrow. I have moved my tank and it's getting more algea because of sunlight and I always liked sea urchins so I'm giving it a go. I have a chocolate chip star that eats turbo snails like candy, would he pose a problem with the urchin? Or would the spines protect him enough if the star deceided to attack? I have a 29 gallon hex tank, lots of live rock, probably 50+ lbs... I also have a purple reef lobster which I would think wouldn't be a threat, or vise vera, and a pair of false perc. clowns... I have read that if they don't get enough algea they'll eat your coraline off of live rocks, but you can feed them with dried seaweed to keep them full. Has anyone tried to feed them the dried sea weed, and does it help if they don't have enough algea to eat?? Would a clip style feeding rig work? Right now the urchin is small, maybe half dollar sized, if that, and it's white-ish grey...

the pin cushion is really the only urchin suitable for your tank, they are mostly nocturnal and sometimes bury themselves in the sand during the day, but will mostly stay on the glass or rocks in the day light hours. However they do like the occassional meaty feast and could well take a snail or two, which you probably don't mind ( and as CF says if you run out of algae you will need to supplement his diet). However your question is about the chocolate chip, he really shouldn't be in your tank in the first place They are very difficult to keep long term and will eat anything they can move their bodies over - I keep seeing the measurement of 2 - 3 inches banded about however I have seen them in Bali larger than a dinner plate, now I know they will not grow that big in a tank but even so, 2 - 3 inches - maybe that unfortunate measurement is given because they are rarely kept for more than six months! So in answer to your question, I can't really see a small chocolate chip taking an urchin - but you never know!

Try offering your chocolate chips small defrosted sprats or silversides

Seffie x

 

[smokinjoe2122]

hey guys,

I have a pincushion sea urchin on hold for me at the pet store to pick up tomorrow. I have moved my tank and it's getting more algea because of sunlight and I always liked sea urchins so I'm giving it a go. I have a chocolate chip star that eats turbo snails like candy, would he pose a problem with the urchin? Or would the spines protect him enough if the star deceided to attack? I have a 29 gallon hex tank, lots of live rock, probably 50+ lbs... I also have a purple reef lobster which I would think wouldn't be a threat, or vise vera, and a pair of false perc. clowns... I have read that if they don't get enough algea they'll eat your coraline off of live rocks, but you can feed them with dried seaweed to keep them full. Has anyone tried to feed them the dried sea weed, and does it help if they don't have enough algea to eat?? Would a clip style feeding rig work? Right now the urchin is small, maybe half dollar sized, if that, and it's white-ish grey...

the pin cushion is really the only urchin suitable for your tank, they are mostly nocturnal and sometimes bury themselves in the sand during the day, but will mostly stay on the glass or rocks in the day light hours. However they do like the occassional meaty feast and could well take a snail or two, which you probably don't mind ( and as CF says if you run out of algae you will need to supplement his diet). However your question is about the chocolate chip, he really shouldn't be in your tank in the first place They are very difficult to keep long term and will eat anything they can move their bodies over - I keep seeing the measurement of 2 - 3 inches banded about however I have seen them in Bali larger than a dinner plate, now I know they will not grow that big in a tank but even so, 2 - 3 inches - maybe that unfortunate measurement is given because they are rarely kept for more than six months! So in answer to your question, I can't really see a small chocolate chip taking an urchin - but you never know!

Try offering your chocolate chips small defrosted sprats or silversides

Seffie x

Thanks for the info. I know I shouldn't really have that star in there, and probably will get rid of him someday when I upgrade my lighting and try some corals or anenomes. He has been in the tank since I started it 2 years ago, so he's kind of a sentimental thing... He's been through 3 moves and has had evil little damsels pick at his legs/arms/whatever (They're gone) ..So I'll hang on to him for a while.. I give him thawed frozen krill when he's on the top of the tank when I can, so he get's a good diet... I just hope he doesn't try with the pincushion... Though, it really wouldnt surprise me at this point. I have no more snails in my tank, except a huge nassarus snail.. He borrows, so he's lucky...

 

[seffieuk]

Sounds like you are one of the few who has managed to keep one alive longer than six months he really does need something a bit meatier though than krill, give the little sprats a try

Seffie x

 

[smokinjoe2122]

Sounds like you are one of the few who has managed to keep one alive longer than six months he really does need something a bit meatier though than krill, give the little sprats a try

Seffie x

Yeah, he's a trooper... I'll try sprats, though I've never heard of them or seen them anywhere lol... Well thanks for the info on the Urchin..I am excited to get him. I love adding things to my tank considering I don't have a lot in there to begin with. I'm trying to keep the clowns as the only fish in there, hoping that they spawn someday...

 

[seffieuk]

You should be able to find them in the freezer compartment of a good lfs, they are just tiny little fishes, any tiny little fish will do Could also try cockles and prawn then he might stop eating all your snails

Seffie x