Care Level: Easy
Temperament:Â Peaceful
Reef Compatible: With Caution
General Description: The Pencil Urchin, sometimes called the Mine Urchin, has a brown body covered with thick, stubby spines. On average, Pencil urchins reach a size of 5″. The Pencil urchin will control hair algae in an aquarium, but it is not as efficient compared to other urchin species. More of a nocturnal animal, the Pencil urchin will seldom be seen moving about during the day. The Pencil urchin is safe to handle.
Diet Requirements: Pencil urchins are omnivores. While they will seek out and consume mats of algae, they also appreciate supplements of various frozen foods. If insufficient algae is present, we recommend offering sheet algae at least once a week.
Tank Requirements: An established, minimum aquarium size of 30 gallons is recommended to house a Pencil urchin. 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 Pencil urchin’s natural environment and give it ample places to forage. The Pencil urchin is added “with caution” to a reef aquarium as it has been reported to consume corals, decorative coralline algae, or macroalgae if insufficient food is present. With that said, loose live rock or corals can be accidentally knocked over by the Pencil urchin as it moves around. It is imperative to take time acclimating a Pencil 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: 1″ to 2″; Medium: 2″ to 3″; Large: 3″ to 4″
Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase size is approximate.
