Urchin Id

[richard t]

My lfs had a customer bring in a urchin, with a load of other bits and pieces. The shop did not know which type of urchin he was. I want to buy him but i have managed to control myself for once. I have taken a photo can anyone help id as i think its

It has pink spins as you can see. Each spine has a small raised dome at the base. These are probably venom glands?

 

[Navarre]

Looks like a short spined sea urchin. I have one although its not pink. Perhaps there is a pink variety? if so then they are safe for a tank and i dont beleive they are poisonous

 

[richard t]

They will let me take it away for a tenner. Is that about right?

 

[Opcn]

its not good, but its not too bad, the price that is. I would go in and haggle down to 5, you are talking about pounds right.

Anyways chances are good that its a herbavor, some of the short spined varieties go only for coraline (especially tuxedo urchins) but chances are good it munches on most types of algea

 

[Navarre]

I think £10 is a good price for the shops around here. Im after an urchin tomorrow so i will check out the prices then and give you an update.

 

[SkiFletch]

I agree with Navarre, looks like a short spined sea urchin. I'll have to defer to Navarre as far as being reef safe, but they are definitely not poisonous

 

[Opcn]

Sponges, tunicates and sea squirts may be in danger yes, but not cnidarians

 

[steelhealr]

Lookup pincushion urchin and see if you think that is what it is: Lytechinus vaniegatus SH

 

[richard t]

I know there can be colour differences in the same spieces, even different shapes depending on what depth it was collected. But pincushion urchins do not really look like my urchin.
I did google sea urchins, and i am glad i did. I was under the impression these were simple creatures, but simple they are not.
No heart.
No brain
They do not seem to age. And they have a immune system so different to ours its almost sci-fi.
And on top of all its unusual anatomy, if it does not work out in my tank i could probably eat it

 

[demonmagus]

Do you have a link to the website where you got all this info, I don't wanna keep one but I do wanna learn about em

 

[Matthew5664]

That look like mine;

Slight pinky short spines. I bought it under the lable common urchin. great algae eater chomps right through it my diatoms thay were building up went in 4 hours. also seems to like flak food!!!

Does like to collect hemits as it does the rounds.