Ha! Floating Urchin

[tebstan]

A while back, I glued some screen to a floating feed ring. I wanted to make a sort of mini algae scrubber, a place to grow a snack for my tang. After seeding it from the overflow, it worked like a charm! It didn't grow too fast, just the right speed for a grazing fish.

At least, it worked great until I got an urchin.

This little pink punk is a nuisance, he lives on the feed ring. He rarely wanders away from it. Once in a while I knock him off, but he climbs back up just as some tasty greens are growing again.

Today, he got himself in a pinch. The food ring detached from the glass and floated away! The urchin has been dangling in the current for about half an hour, much to my amusement. Maybe he'll be wary of the feed ring next time.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss9/TebstansTank/Inverts/Urchinfloating11-2-12.jpg

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss9/TebstansTank/Inverts/UrchinfloatingA11-2-12.jpg

[Europhyllia]

Ahhh Must.Hold.On!

[Sherita]

ROFL! Aren't urchins the class clowns of our tanks?

My four are constantly into, on, or uprooting something.

[FireWater]

I like urchins, but have banned them from any of my tanks forever and then some.

Most know of my problems in the 90. I had used great stuff foam for the back drop and the urchin would only eat that stuff. I am surprised he wasn't floating on his own. As it was, anytime he pooped it would shoot straight up to the top of the water.

[cbianco]

I like urchins, but have banned them from any of my tanks forever and then some.

Most know of my problems in the 90. I had used great stuff foam for the back drop and the urchin would only eat that stuff. I am surprised he wasn't floating on his own. As it was, anytime he pooped it would shoot straight up to the top of the water.

:rofl:

Yep, I remember! Can you say algae?

Christopher :)

[Europhyllia]

I like urchins, but have banned them from any of my tanks forever and then some.

Most know of my problems in the 90. I had used great stuff foam for the back drop and the urchin would only eat that stuff. I am surprised he wasn't floating on his own. As it was, anytime he pooped it would shoot straight up to the top of the water.

Urchins are AWESOME -it's the Great Stuff that's so NOT great. ;)
Rock on Urchins!

[Flyride95]

I love my urchin but I'm at a point were I may have to get rid of him. I have found out he likes fuzzy ricordia mushrooms. But he doesn't eat anything else just the dang mushrooms. So I guess I can keep him and not put any mushrooms in or I can get rid of my algae eating monster and get the mushroom lol.

[reefreak]

In the fuge he goes lol love the pics.

[Sherita]

I like urchins, but have banned them from any of my tanks forever and then some.

Most know of my problems in the 90. I had used great stuff foam for the back drop and the urchin would only eat that stuff. I am surprised he wasn't floating on his own. As it was, anytime he pooped it would shoot straight up to the top of the water.

Mine is eating the foam background in my 72g, I know exactly what you mean. BUT, I lurve my urchins, so my next tanks will all have aggrocrete backgrounds. Spiky little troublemakers is what they are. And one of mine is a real hoarder too, he always points out which frags I failed to sufficiently glue down.

[FireWater]

My experience is the main reason I went with mortar and live rock for my background this time. Just never could bring myself to get another urchin.

In the old tank I had gotten an ORA frag and it went missing. Found it cruising the tank at .25 mph on the back of my tuxedo urchin. Mine was a hoarder as well.

[Sherita]

Dang John, your urchin is a LOT fast than mine :bigsmile:

Mine will bring things out from behind the rocks for me if I drop something. It will NOT, however, bring back the things that it drops behind the rocks. Right now mine is quite pleased, he has a featherduster, four shells, some algae, a zoa, and a frag of birdsnest. He's gotta have a stash back behind the rocks, because his wardrobe changes daily.