Is this a sea urchin?

[leo12345]

Got a few of these in with some live rock, Is this a sea urchin?

 

[Kasrift]

Got a few of these in with some live rock, Is this a sea urchin?

View attachment 3089449

Looks like a pencil urchin. They can be hitchhikers on Caribbean rock.

 

[leo12345]

Looks like a pencil urchin. They can be hitchhikers on Caribbean rock.

Are they reef safe?

 

[Kasrift]

Are they reef safe?

Yes https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquari...gae, especially hair,in tanks over 30 gallons.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Reefcleaners is great but they're not correct about reef safe here. Pencil urchins will absolutely eat coral - I had one completely raze a leptoseris and favites. If you consult other literature they do not suggest pencils are reef safe. Great in the sump though.

 

[steveschuerger]

I’m of the reef safe crowd, at least with mine. Came in as a hitch hiker on LR and hasnt been a problem in the year that I’ve had it. Just hangs in the rocks inside crevices.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Reefcleaners is great but they're not correct about reef safe here. Pencil urchins will absolutely eat coral - I had one completely raze a leptoseris and favites. If you consult other literature they do not suggest pencils are reef safe. Great in the sump though.

Fixed that for ya.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Fixed that for ya.

I had a positive experience with them would be more accurate, I suppose.

 

[Reefing102]

I tell people with caution. Mine were not reefsafe. Destroyed a platygyra and zoas for me. Mine got sumped

 

[58e970b2-3f88-4897-87ba-5]

I have had one for a couple months. So far mine is playing nice with a variety of soft coral and lps.
Don’t have zoas or sps in the tank, so can’t comment on if it eats them.
Also have lots of algae to munch on, so haven’t seen what happens if food gets low. It seems it’s food preference is coralline algae, macro algae, then green hair algae (in that order).
Can be a little bit disconcerting when getting new coral. It always heads straight for them to clean off the frag plugs.
Here is a picture for comparison:

I am wondering if the conflicting reef safe labels means that only specific species of pencil urchins are reef safe. Mine is pretty slow moving, so I often just keep a close eye on it when it is eating around new coral.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I have had one in may main system, but caused some havoc. Knocking things over and such. Did not notice it eating coral, but it may not have liked my variety.
I keep in sump and it is very happy.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I am wondering if the conflicting reef safe labels means that only specific species of pencil urchins are reef safe.

This is my guess - most likely some pencil urchin species are safe while others are not.