Care Level: Easy
Temperament:Â Peaceful
Reef Compatible:Â Yes
General Description: The Black Longspine Urchin has a jet black body with a red eyespot in the center that instantly draws your attention. The spines are very thin, long, and delicate looking, however, this urchin is well equipped to defend itself. On average, spines grow to 6″, but are capable of reaching a length of 10″. The Black longspine urchin is excellent at controlling algae in a reef aquarium, or even an aggressive FOWLR (fish only with live rock) aquarium given its armor. More of a nocturnal animal, the Black longspine urchin will seldomly be seen moving during the day, but its spines will be sticking out in view. The Black longspine urchin is a very entertaining animal to watch, as each spine can move independently. Caution: the Black longspine urchin is venomous, with the sensation of its sting being equivalent to that of a bee sting.
Diet Requirements: Black longspine urchins are voracious herbivores. They consume various algae on the live rock, including hair algae. If insufficient algae is present, we recommend supplementing sheet algae to prevent starvation.
Tank Requirements: An established, minimum aquarium size of 55 gallons is recommended to house a small Black longspine urchin specimen; as it matures, a larger aquarium may be necessary to accomodate its large spine size. Maintaining stable water parameters is a component to the success of keeping this invertebrate; urchins are intolerable of high nitrates and shedding of its spines is a sign of poor water quality. Generous live rock with some crevices will mimic the Black longspine urchin’s natural environment and give it ample places to graze off of. Loose live rock or corals can be accidentially knocked over by the Black longspine urchin as it moves around. It is imperative to take time acclimating a Black longspine urchin; we suggest via drip acclimation. Recommended water conditions: 76-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.024-1.026.
Purchase Size: Small: 2″ to 3″; Medium: 3″ to 4″; Large: 4″ to 5″
Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase size is approximate.
