Purple Sea Urchin

Care Summary

The Purple Sea Urchin is a temperate Pacific species with dense, uniform violet spines and a low-profile build that makes it a bold and striking presence in a cold-water display tank. It thrives in cool water between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit and will eat algae, kelp, and encrusting organisms off the rock surfaces, functioning as an effective natural cleanup crew member. This species is not suitable for tropical reef aquariums. It needs cold, well-oxygenated water to stay healthy, and placing it in a warm system will cause rapid decline. In a properly chilled setup, supplement its diet with dried kelp or nori clips when natural algae growth is insufficient to meet its nutritional needs.