Sea Urchins

Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals that compose part of class Echinoidea. They are found in oceans all over the world. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from 3 to 10 cm across. Common colors include black and dull shades of green, olive, brown, purple, and red. They move slowly, feeding mostly on algae. Sea otters, wolf eels, and other predators feed on urchins. Sea urchins are also harvested by humans and their roe is served as a delicacy.Sea urchins are members of the phylum Echinodermata, which also includes sea stars, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, and crinoids. Like other echinoderms they have fivefold symmetry (called pentamerism) and move by means of hundreds of tiny, transparent, adhesive "tube feet". The pentamerous symmetry is not obvious at a casual glance but is easily seen in the dried shell or test of the urchin.

Assorted Colored Pin Cushion Urchin Lytechinus vaniegatus The Pincushion Urchin is a small Urchin that has sharp protruding spines. They grow to only 2-3 inches. In Nature, these spines serve as their defense mechanism from predators. All Urchins are nocturnal and do most of their grazing at night. During the day they will usually stay stationary on the aquarium glass, or in hiding spots in rockwork. Urchins are excellent algae eatersl and ike rockwork that they can crawl and feed on. A great choice for the aquarium. They will use a series of tube feet on their underside to move about the tank in search of algae and detritus. They will scour the rockwork, glass and sandbed. Their colors range from all white, to white with pink or purple spikes, and sometimes they are all purple or all pink. Urchins are completely reef-safe. $9.99 ea. Quantity :

Black Longspine Urchin Diadema setosum These urchins are excellent algae controllers for an aquarium housing aggressive fish. The Black Longspine Urchin, also known as Long-spined Sea Urchin, has a body which is predominately black with a red eyespot in the center. The spines on these urchins are long, thin and completely black. During the day, it will hide among the rocks, in crevices, or under plants in a sandy substrate. At night, it will emerge to graze on the algae present in or near its home. It is sensitive to high levels of copper-based medications and it will not tolerate high nitrate levels. If it starts to lose a number of spines, it is often due to poor water conditions. REEFSAFE $19.99 ea. Quantity :

Red Slate Urchin Heterocentrotus mammilatus The Red Slate Pencil Urchin comes from Hawaii and is also known as Slate Pencil Urchin. It has a reddish-tan body with long, solid spines that taper at the tips and radiate out from the body in all directions at lengths of up to five inches. During the day, it will hide among the rocks, in crevices, or under plants in a sandy substrate. At night, it will emerge to graze on the algae present in or near its home. It is sensitive to high levels of copper-based medications and it will not tolerate high nitrate levels. If it starts to lose a number of spines, it is often due to poor water conditions.  REEFSAFE $29.99 each Quantity :

Pencil Urchin Eucidaris tribuloides These urchins are excellent algae controllers for an aquarium housing aggressive fish. Pencil Urchins have a brown, sometimes mottled body with stubby, thick spines radiating out in all directions. The spines are surrounded by basal plates. Never try to pry it out of a hole, as you will break its spines before it lets go. As it gets older, its spines may become covered with coralline and other types of algae. During the day, it will hide among the rocks, in crevices, or under plants in a sandy substrate. At night, it will emerge to graze on the algae present in or near its home. It is sensitive to high levels of copper-based medications and it will not tolerate high nitrate levels. If it starts to lose a number of spines, it is often due to poor water conditions.  REEFSAFE $8.99 ea. Quantity :

Blue Tuxedo Urchin Mespilia globulus These urchins are excellent algae controllers for either a reef aquarium or a saltwater fish only aquarium housing aggressive fish. The Tuxedo Pincushion Urchin, has five to ten broad-colored blue bands. This very striking combination, gives it the "formal" look and thus the name "Tuxedo Urchin." During the day, it will hide among the rocks, in crevices, or under plants in a sandy substrate. At night, it will emerge to graze on the algae present in or near its home. The Tuxedo Pincushion Urchin generally roams alone, but several of them could be housed in the same aquarium if it is large enough to provide them with adequate food (algae) and shelter. It is sensitive to high levels of copper-based medications and it will not tolerate high nitrate levels. If it starts to lose a number of spines, it is often due to poor water conditions. REEFSAFE $29.99 each Quantity :

Sand Dollars Clypeaster subdepressus Sand Dollars are pancake-shaped sand dwellers, and need large areas of fine substrate in which to burrow. They feed on micro-invertebrates and tiny crustaceans in the sand bed.In their sandy seafloor habitat, sand dollars use their fuzzy spines, aided by tiny hairs (cilia), to ferry food particles along their bodies to a central mouth on their bottom side. They capture plankton with spines and pincers (pedicellariae) on their body surfaces. A tiny teepee-shaped cone of spines bunched up on a sand dollar’s body marks a spot where captive amphipods or crab larvae are being held for transport to the mouth. Unlike sea stars that use tube feet for locomotion, sand dollars use their spines to move along the sand, or to drive edgewise into the sand. On the upper half of the sand dollar’s body, spines also serve as gills. REEFSAFE $19.99 each Quantity :