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Home > Marine Inverts & Plants > Urchins > Pincushion Urchin, Hairy
Pincushion Urchin, Hairy (Tripneustes gratilla)
Pincushion Urchin, Hairy
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Pincushion Urchin, Hairy (Tripneustes gratilla)
Additional locales and sizes may be available!
Additional locales and sizes may be available!

Quick Stats

Care Level Moderate
Temperament Peaceful
Color Form Black, Purple, Red, White
Diet Omnivore
Reef Compatible Yes
Water Conditions 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Supplements Iodine, Trace Elements
Compatibility View Chart
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information
Care Level Moderate
Temperament Peaceful
Color Form Black, Purple, Red, White
Diet Omnivore
Reef Compatible Yes
Water Conditions 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Supplements Iodine, Trace Elements
Compatibility View Chart
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information

Overview

The Hairy Pincushion Urchin is also known as the Sea Egg, and the Priest-hat Urchin. It has five or ten double rows of white and red spines separated by spaces of red, purple, white or black. To camouflage itself, it often covers itself with rocks, sponges, shells, or algae. In addition to camouflage, this provides shade, and in some cases, a food source. These urchins work wonders in aquariums that suffer from filamentous algae infestation, consuming this undesirable algae quickly.

It will generally do well in an aquarium if provided with ample hiding places and a large area in which to move. It prefers an aquarium with live rock so that it can graze on algae and it will even eat Caulerpa sp.. It should be housed with nonaggressive fish. It is sensitive to high levels of copper-based medications. Poor water conditions will cause it to shed its spines and rapidly decline in health.

It is extremely difficult to breed in an aquarium with no distinguishing characteristics to help differentiate it from its mate.

If there is insufficient algae for it to graze on, the Hairy Pincushion Urchin should be fed dried seaweed.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1" to 1-3/4"; Medium: 1-3/4" to 2-1/2"; Large: 2-1/2" to 3-1/2"

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