Short Spine Urchin

Care Summary

The Short Spine Urchin is a solid, underrated algae grazer that scrubs rocks and glass clean without the hazard factor of its long-spined relatives. It is fully reef-safe with corals when well-fed, does not bother fish, and works well in tanks where a Long Spine Urchin would be a liability around curious hands. The challenge is overgrazing, in a clean tank with limited algae growth the urchin will graze coralline and even pick at coral frags, so supplement with dried nori or algae wafers. Monitor spine density as a health indicator, a healthy urchin has full, consistent coverage, while spine loss points to declining water quality or nutritional deficiency.