Tuxedo Urchin

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is commonly found on shallow coral reefs, lagoons, and rocky shores rich in macroalgae.

Taxonomy: Belonging to the family Temnopleuridae. It features a spherical body covered in short spines arranged in five distinct bands. Grows up to 7.0 cm.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and nocturnal. It moves slowly across rocks grazing on algae, often picking up small rocks, shells, and coral fragments for camouflage.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Spines are dark blue, purple, or black, contrasted by bare reddish or brown sections of the body. There is no visible sexual dimorphism.

Tank Setup: A mature marine tank with plenty of live rock is essential. Small frags and rocks should be glued down, as the urchin will attempt to carry them away.

Diet and Feeding: Voracious herbivore. Excellent eater of nuisance hair algae and coralline algae. Supplement with dried nori if algae resources are depleted.

Water Quality: Keep standard reef parameters. pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.023-1.025, and low nitrates. Maintain stable calcium levels for its test skeleton.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Reef-safe. Compatible with peaceful marine fish and corals. Avoid keeping with large wrasses, triggers, and puffers.

Aquarium Breeding: Spawn broadcast. Planktonic larvae are delicate and generally swept into filtration before they settle.

Risks and Diseases: Highly sensitive to copper and changes in salinity. Urchin will lose its spines if stressed, indicating poor water quality.