urchins

How safe are urchins in a reef tank? I love the rainbow urchin but am a little leary of getting one without hearing a little on them?

 

Urchins in general are fine...with 2 things.

They pickup random things (frags) for cover
They can chew through powerhead cords/heater cords etc

 

They are also however very fun to watch and people almost always remember them. I typically have about 4 corals knocked over by them a week.

 

Ok, as for Urchins, some are more reef safe than others!!! IMO, the Black Long-Spinned Diadema is your best bet(though they get rather large)! The Tuxedo and Pencil are also good additions, that stay small!
Urchins are good water parameter indicators, that will lose their spines and surely parrish shortly thereafter if unfavorable water conditions pursist!
Urchins will eat algae of all types and also eat corraline algae, however with the growth and advancement of coralline algae, they will not be able to totally wipe it out!!!
Some will knock over rock work and corals as they are fairly strong as the bulldoze across your rock work on a continual feeding regimine.
A few, but not all will pick up shells, algae or anything else they can find for camouflage and protection, but not all of them will do that!
Urchins are fascinating and make a wonderful addition to a reef tank...oh yeah, be careful not to touch the spines of certain Urchins like the Diadema as their spines are very sharp and have bacteria that may cause an infection if you get pricked by one!
My Aunt had to go to the hospital one time as she was vacationing on a Caribbean Island-she accidentally stepped on a balck Diadema Urchin and it got infected!
But don't let that disuade your decision to get an Urchin!!!!!

 

Wow. I would be more nervouse about them chewing through the wires than getting poked as I would try my best to look out for it. Any suggestions on protecting wires?

 

I've only heard of it once and the urchin was in a fuge. I'm not sure if they would try it in a 55g...it might have been starving in a small fuge?

 

Never heard of that happening and I personally have had urchins over the years with no experience of this happening! Not to say that it won't...maybe I, or should I say my Urchins, have been very lucky!

 

Major reason why I don't keep urchins. The one I kept not only knocked over corals but once tried to take my 2" maxima clam for a ride. I got rid of it shortly thereafter.

 

Ya maybe it's more a hassle to have one than not!