Lawnmower Blenny + Sea Urchin... will they starve?

SereneAquatic · 12/13/2017, 09:14 AM

Both of these creatures live on Algae for the most part... if I have both in my tank, would they out compete each other for food? Does one do better than the other in a more established tank? Ours is new so there may not be a whole lot for them initially... and if that's the case, which one should come first?

der_wille_zur_macht · 12/13/2017, 09:31 AM

Just supplement their diet. Algae wafers placed near the urchin and quality pellet or flake (or more algae wafer) for the blenny.

ReeferNoob4ever · 12/13/2017, 09:58 AM

I've never had an issue with algae grazer starving each other out, but I also keep fairly high nutrient tanks.

mcgyvr · 12/13/2017, 11:49 AM

It is absolutely possible but as stated supplementing their diet is a good solution if needed..

Uncle99 · 12/15/2017, 12:58 PM

I am sorry, not a fan of urchins, while they are fabulous algae eaters, the also rasp the hard coralline algae off your rocks and likely will mow over any slow or none mover.
Had one sit on top of a horseshoe crab....rasp his way right through the shell and eat him...nice....
Lawnmower Blen is great....and a good algae eater....fun and friendly.....
If your goal is low or no algae, work with your water and export capacity...

mcgyvr · 12/15/2017, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

, the also rasp the hard coralline algae off your rocks and

One mans negative is anothers positive..

I have an urchin solely for the purpose of taking care of coralline algae..
And I also find it funny/entertaining when they pick up zoas or snails or whatever and carry it around with them..

Uncle99 · 12/15/2017, 01:12 PM

I do love your humor��

SereneAquatic · 12/15/2017, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

One mans negative is anothers positive..

I have an urchin solely for the purpose of taking care of coralline algae..
And I also find it funny/entertaining when they pick up zoas or snails or whatever and carry it around with them..

I kind of in the same mind set. I know many like the coralline, but I would rather it not cover my whole tank.

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Pandagobyguy · 12/15/2017, 10:42 PM

My sea urchin pushed a rock over onto my six line wrasse. Killed it. It throws around all the frags i have on the sand bed and in my frag rack. He constantly tries to climb onto the powerhead and eat algae off of it and he climbs into my clown's rock patch/area and i can tell it upsets them.

The plus side is i have no algae on the glass and the corners (which urchins cant get too) get cleaned by a few snails and a conch. My only glass maintenance is occasionally getting the few spots the urchin left.

Take from that what you will, if i had it to do over again i wouldn't buy him. This is why:

1. I'm trying to breed my clowns and the urchin is annoying

2. I hate having to glue everything down (which sometimes doesn't even work) and it killed my fish

3. I've realize i actually tend to like seeing the algae growth in my dt.
-It gives me a pretty good visual indication of nitrate levels
-post urchin addition I've had to do more WC because no algae grows and absorbs nutrients
-it also has significantly reduced the number of copepods/amphis i have seen (i assume the result of less algae). I have a mandarin so this one is actually a pretty big deal for me.

Nothing scientific or substantiated, just my .02

12/13/2017, 09:14 AM	#1
SereneAquatic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Middle TN Posts: 200	Lawnmower Blenny + Sea Urchin... will they starve? Both of these creatures live on Algae for the most part... if I have both in my tank, would they out compete each other for food? Does one do better than the other in a more established tank? Ours is new so there may not be a whole lot for them initially... and if that's the case, which one should come first? __________________ Build Thread: "A new reefer... a new tank. What could go wrong?" Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 425 XL Deluxe, Nano Max, 55g Observation, 20g QT

12/13/2017, 09:31 AM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Just supplement their diet. Algae wafers placed near the urchin and quality pellet or flake (or more algae wafer) for the blenny. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

12/13/2017, 09:58 AM	#3
ReeferNoob4ever Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: NM Posts: 523	I've never had an issue with algae grazer starving each other out, but I also keep fairly high nutrient tanks. __________________ Get a life! Current Tank Info: 20gL mixed reef, 10g mixed reef w/nem & clown, 5g NPS & harlequin

12/13/2017, 11:49 AM	#4
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	It is absolutely possible but as stated supplementing their diet is a good solution if needed.. __________________ Who me?

12/15/2017, 12:58 PM	#5
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I am sorry, not a fan of urchins, while they are fabulous algae eaters, the also rasp the hard coralline algae off your rocks and likely will mow over any slow or none mover. Had one sit on top of a horseshoe crab....rasp his way right through the shell and eat him...nice.... Lawnmower Blen is great....and a good algae eater....fun and friendly..... If your goal is low or no algae, work with your water and export capacity...

12/15/2017, 01:12 PM	#7
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I do love your humor��

12/15/2017, 10:42 PM	#9
Pandagobyguy Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 333	My sea urchin pushed a rock over onto my six line wrasse. Killed it. It throws around all the frags i have on the sand bed and in my frag rack. He constantly tries to climb onto the powerhead and eat algae off of it and he climbs into my clown's rock patch/area and i can tell it upsets them. The plus side is i have no algae on the glass and the corners (which urchins cant get too) get cleaned by a few snails and a conch. My only glass maintenance is occasionally getting the few spots the urchin left. Take from that what you will, if i had it to do over again i wouldn't buy him. This is why: 1. I'm trying to breed my clowns and the urchin is annoying 2. I hate having to glue everything down (which sometimes doesn't even work) and it killed my fish 3. I've realize i actually tend to like seeing the algae growth in my dt. -It gives me a pretty good visual indication of nitrate levels -post urchin addition I've had to do more WC because no algae grows and absorbs nutrients -it also has significantly reduced the number of copepods/amphis i have seen (i assume the result of less algae). I have a mandarin so this one is actually a pretty big deal for me. Nothing scientific or substantiated, just my .02