Urchins in an acrylic tank

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have one. Do they scour the Acrylic. I am interested in getting one, but hear they will scratch the acrylic.

 

[Anonymous]

It's not so much that the urchins themselves scratch the acrylic it's more the granules of substrate and rock rubble that is caught between their spines that does the damage. A little Tuxedo Urchin can make a mess of the front acrylic panel in a reef tank in less than a week. Of course I've seen the same thing happen with snails.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

I disagree - the urchins scratch the acrylic as they eat coralline off of it. You get huge areas covered with a characteristic star pattern made by the urchins mouth.

Of course, if you keep your acrylic religiously coralline free, this probably won't be an issue.

jayo

 

[Anonymous]

are they able to scratch up glass too? I mean I've seen them bore into rock, so glass doesn't seem too much out of the question

 

[Anonymous]

With enough time, a sea urchin can cratch anything, even glass. Rather the scratch is noticeable on glass is a different matter, but it does.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Diadema and haven't noticed anything yet. I do scrape coralline off any time I see any specksof it.

 

[Anonymous]

So basically it would not be a good idea. Introduce with at my own risk.

 

[Anonymous]

<shrug> Mine's been in there for several months now. I would think if any damage were to occur I'd have seen it by now. It has grown considerably, fwiw.

 

[edandujo]

If you have plenty of live rock so they could eat coraline you shoudn't have a problem. They will stay off the glass and stay on the rocks. I have a pencil urchin for like 3 years and a tuxedo for 2.

 

[Anonymous]

Ive seen no ill effects from my urchin..Ive had 1+ years and has been in two different glass tanks..that doesnt mean without water in the tanks, thoses scratches dont exist...In an acrylic, it may be at your own risk Wazzel..I also imagine it depends on the species of Urchin..those that bore into coral rubble are different that a carrier urchin that doesnt bore at all..

 

[shred5]

I had a urchin eat the glue on the corners of my tank...

Dave