Whats in a name? An urchin by any other name...

....Would still be just as neat!;D

Does anyone know the real name of this Urchin or any info about it? Any links would be grand. I have looked up both Purple and Blue sea urchin (with and with out the "sea") and I cant really find anything. My LFS Has two of these guys and one was only the size of a ping pong ball, the other about the size of a golf ball.
I really like the look of them, but I would like to know more about their requirements in order to keep them healthy and happy. (ie what kind of salinity, lighting, food, reef safe or not, tank requirements, etc)
I know that they generally eat algae, but If Im not mistaken some will also eat crustaceans, snails, shrimp and so on.

I have a 55 gallon with a pair of True Percs, one watchman goby and a blue Pistol shrimp. I have not yet cleaned my glass of algae in the few months it has been running. Would it be wiseto continue to allow algae to build up to maintain an abundance of food for it?
(NOTE: I do not have the urchin as it would be reckless on my part to buy without knowledge. I would like to purchase it if possible)
Any Advise, Info or criticism would be great!

Oh, and by the way.... PUFFER CHICK and REDGAMBIT are both in BIG TROUBLE!!!! LOL:

(I borrowed this pic from Saltwaterfish.com but I don't fully trust their info)

 

Purple/lavender pincushion urchin...just got one last week...very cool critter!

 

Saltwater Aquarium Inverts for Marine Reef Aquariums: Purple Short Spine Pincushion Urchin

 

Well thank you both.

Jacwil- Hows it doin so far? Any pics?

Redgambit- You're just makin me want it more....lol. Thanks for the info.

 

I have a tuxedo urchin which is about the same thing as this one same family i beleive, very usefull , great addition to clean up crew. They are very mobile cover lots of ground, but they buldoze alot, thats their problem. If you have loose coral, or stuff they will move them or push them on their side or over turn them. they also pick up stuff, real cleptos these guys, shells, debris, algae even sand and rock , they use succion cup like filament on their backs and puts all kinds of stuff real funny. So All of this makes it a good janitor for your tank , but he pushes stuff around, if they are not stuck or pin down. I'll get another one for my tank soon everything is pin down in mine and the one i got is great worker.Very easy to care for and gets along with all the other tank mates..

 

Cool.
Now, would it be ok to not clean the glass so the algae could grow not only for my snails, but for the urchin as well? (I would still clean the front so you could still view the tank) But would it be healthy for the tank?

 

Yes that one way of doing it. i leave the back panel alone and he has enough and with all the rockwork to deal with as well he's ok. he's surprisingly agile you'll see.

 

Would it be a probability for it to eat seaweed sheets/nori as well as algae?
(I've got nice algae growth, just asking)

 

Yes but you don't want to do that you want him to clean remember.... so i wouldn't unless nothing in the tank. That why we leave untouched panels on are tanks.

 

Oh I know, I just wanted to make sure so that if in a pinch it wouldn't starve.
I'm definitely going to leave the back panel alone if/when I get it.