
Pincushion Urchin
Lytechinus variegatus
Reef Safe
Reef Safe
Care Summary
The Pincushion Urchin is a colorful, round, and spiny grazer that covers itself with shell fragments and debris for camouflage, one of the more visually interesting cleanup crew animals available. It is reef-safe, compatible with corals and most fish, and works well in established tanks of 30 gallons or more where it can roam rockwork and glass freely. The carrying behavior sometimes alarms new customers as it will pick up and relocate small frags, so advise them to mount corals securely before adding one to the tank. Feed dried nori or algae wafers a few times a week when natural algae growth is limited, and it will stay active, well-fed, and consistently decorated with its characteristic collection of debris.
