Tuxedo Urchin? Perhaps? Mebbe? Donya?

[lljdma06]

Like I've been saying, I gots me a coralline problem. I remember a while back we had discussed that two urchin species were being labeled as Tuxedo urchins. One was better than the other to get.

Which one is this?

It's at the LFS now. I've made no commitment to purchase as it must be the correct species & also on the small end.

Thanks,

L

 

[ainsy]

I am going to bow out of this at the start LLJ as what I know about urchins you could write on a (very small) postage stamp!

 

[crazyforcordoras]

It looks like a blue tuxedo urchin. Gts 3-4 inches. Peaceful.

 

[Donya]

The pic is Mespila globulus - the species that stays relatively small. Hard to tell from the pic, but many stay about ping pong-ball sized, so if that one is just under that it won't grow a whole lot. Some get a little larger, but they are also very slow growers. Tripneustes gratilla is the other species commonly sold as a tuxedo due to the banded patterns that some individuals exhibit, but they grow quite a bit bigger.

 

[crazyforcordoras]

+1 on Mespilia Globulus

 

[lljdma06]

Awesome sauce! Thanks everybody! Will picking up then this little coralline buster tomorrow, or rather, later today, then.

I'll even allow him to pick up the stray zoa polyp & let him adorn himself.

Ok, this opera singer is pooped! Dress rehearsal for Madama Butterfly was last night & I'm tired.

L

 

[GGtank]

Nice urchin! Blue tux definitely! Had one like him in the tank but unfortunately he passed away. I actually had two urchins at the same time, my very very tiny black long spine urchin has now turned into a roaming mass of a creature. The only thing I'll say about the blue tux, is that he is extremely sticky, I mean zoas, shells, rock etc. Have fun watching the hat formation!

 

[lljdma06]

Yeah, I'm aware of their "let me dress myself" habits. LOL

all the corals in this tank are pretty secure, but I may have the odd zoa polyp that he'll attach onto himself.