Guest Bemmer January 16, 2007 Share January 16, 2007 Hey I just read that a bunch of you have a sea urchin that eats the purple/pink coralline algae on the walls of the tank. I would love to have my tank walls clean again. I can't reach the sides because it is an in-wall tank. The algae has been growing for 9 months now. Would a sea urchin be able to "break" through? Does it also eat the algae on the rocks? R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak January 16, 2007 Share January 16, 2007 Hey I just read that a bunch of you have a sea urchin that eats the purple/pink coralline algae on the walls of the tank. I would love to have my tank walls clean again. I can't reach the sides because it is an in-wall tank. The algae has been growing for 9 months now. Would a sea urchin be able to "break" through? Does it also eat the algae on the rocks? R- My B&W Long Spine now that the clown fish isn't molesting it is doing a fair job of mowing down anything in it's path. For a while I had a pin cushion that was eating all the coraline and green algae on my walls... gave that one away. It was doing too good a job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda January 16, 2007 Share January 16, 2007 Mine is a rock-boring urchin I got in trade for a mantis. They hitchhike pretty often with live rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smarsh97 January 16, 2007 Share January 16, 2007 I have had several of the urchins in my tanks and while they do eat the coraline on the wall they also clean the rocks!! Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bemmer January 17, 2007 Share January 17, 2007 My B&W Long Spine now that the clown fish isn't molesting it is doing a fair job of mowing down anything in it's path. For a while I had a pin cushion that was eating all the coraline and green algae on my walls... gave that one away. It was doing too good a job When you say it was doing too good a job, was it eating the coralline algae off the Live Rock as well? If it stayed only on the walls, that would be exactly what I am looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak January 17, 2007 Share January 17, 2007 The long spine tends to strip my rocks, the pin cushion that I had before tended to stay mostly to the walls. Thay may have been unique to my Urchin or my system. I think they're "oppertunistic hunters" though. I use the term hunter very very loosely mind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw January 17, 2007 Share January 17, 2007 I've never heard of one that sticks to the walls only. My purple urchin seems to go after the walls and the rock. Just get some more big snails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda January 17, 2007 Share January 17, 2007 The coralline on the rocks comes back fast after it's grazed by the urchin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazziestephens September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 I was actually wondering if coral line would grow back faster if my urchin grazes at it? I would like more growth on the rocks. Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 a tuxedo urchin should help keep the coraline algae down in the hard to reach places. These are reef safe. When you say it was doing too good a job, was it eating the coralline algae off the Live Rock as well? If it stayed only on the walls, that would be exactly what I am looking for. no urchin will stay only on the walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 My tuxedo was on walls 90% of time. When it was off walls it was a holy tank terror. Since my frags aren't secured. The 2 urchins helped but couldn't even come close to keeping up with the coraline problem on back and side walls in my 125. They will help with rock algae if they like the taste of the algae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 My tuxedo was on walls 90% of time. When it was off walls it was a holy tank terror. Since my frags aren't secured. The 2 urchins helped but couldn't even come close to keeping up with the coraline problem on back and side walls in my 125. They will help with rock algae if they like the taste of the algae Harbor freight gel super glue works wonders for gluing corals down. And its super cheap, $4 for a 10 pack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 I invite you to try that in my tank! Doesn't even come close to sticking on slimy aged rockwork. The putty sometimes works for a little bit if it's a glue sand which but I have an upgrade coming no point in it. Plus the urchins get in the frag racks, on the bottom of tank, you name it. Thanks for that info tired of spending $5 a tube at BRS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 I invite you to try that in my tank! Doesn't even come close to sticking on slimy aged rockwork. The putty sometimes works for a little bit if it's a glue sand which but I have an upgrade coming no point in it. Plus the urchins get in the frag racks, on the bottom of tank, you name it. Thanks for that info tired of spending $5 a tube at BRS. yah the putty has never worked for me. I have given up on trying to use it. But definitely give the harbor freight gel a shot. It is thicker IMO than the BRS stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime September 8, 2015 Share September 8, 2015 Man, this thread is dusty. If you want to get coraline off your glass, use a razor. Can't reach? Put a razor on a stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness September 9, 2015 Share September 9, 2015 Somebody dug this up from the depths.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef September 9, 2015 Share September 9, 2015 I was actually wondering if coral line would grow back faster if my urchin grazes at it? I would like more growth on the rocks. Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk Umm... Not really, since the urchins usually eat it faster than it grows or spreads... You're better off just scraping some off randomly and hoping it helps seed where you want it to grow... It will eventually make it there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBVette September 9, 2015 Share September 9, 2015 Also if you have an acrylic tank there is a chance that the urchin can eat into the acrylic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda September 9, 2015 Share September 9, 2015 I currently have two, a variegated and a rock-boring urchin, in my 90. They are great at keeping nuisance algae down. For better or worse, there is plenty of coralline, both on the rocks and on the glass. My weapon of choice is the razor blade attachment to the mag float. Eight years later, that is what I have to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazziestephens September 9, 2015 Share September 9, 2015 I have glass not acrylic. He hasn't been eating a lot actually. I was just curious. I hope he clears some of this algae. Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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