Pencil Urchin
Eucidaris
tribuloides

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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.
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Blue
Tuxedo Urchin
Mespilia
globulus

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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
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Sand
Dollars
Clypeaster
subdepressus

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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 dollars 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 dollars body, spines also serve as gills. |
REEFSAFE
$19.99 each
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