Rock-boring Sea Urchin
(Echinometra mathaei)

Description

Rock-boring Sea Urchin: Your Reef’s Algae Patrol!

Add a diligent natural cleaner to your marine aquarium. The Rock-boring Sea Urchin is an essential benthic inhabitant, quietly working to maintain a pristine, algae-free environment in your reef tank.

Overview

The Rock-boring Sea Urchin (*Echinometra mathaei*) features a robust, rounded body, typically dark, adorned with spines that range in color from green to purple or reddish-orange. A distinctive pale ring often marks the base of each spine. Reaching a test diameter of up to 9 cm, this nocturnal echinoderm uses its strong spines and specialized mouthparts to meticulously graze on algae, emerging at night from crevices it bores into rockwork for shelter.

Care Level

Considered easy to care for, the Rock-boring Sea Urchin exhibits a peaceful temperament. While generally compatible with most reef inhabitants, ensure your rockwork and corals are securely placed, as this active grazer may inadvertently dislodge unsecured items. Avoid housing with aggressive predators.

Tank Essentials

A minimum tank size of 75 litres (20 gallons) is recommended for a single specimen, featuring ample stable live rock for grazing and hiding. Maintain a stable water temperature between 23-27°C and a pH range of 8.1-8.4. Salinity should be kept between 1.023 and 1.026 specific gravity.

Diet

Primarily herbivorous, this sea urchin thrives on a diet of nuisance algae, including coralline and macroalgae, naturally found on your aquarium’s surfaces. Should natural food sources become scarce, supplement its diet with high-quality dried seaweed or algae wafers to ensure its continued health.

Why Buy From Us

When you buy Rock-boring Sea Urchin online from Corais de Vidro, you receive healthy aquarium fish and invertebrates sourced responsibly. Our commitment to ethical practices and humane shipping ensures your new inhabitant arrives in prime condition, ready to flourish in your home aquarium.

• Scientific Name: Echinometra mathaei
• Common Name / Variant: Rock-boring Sea Urchin
• Maximum Size: 9 cm (test diameter)
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
• pH Range: 8.1–8.4
• Temperature: 23–27°C
• Lifespan: 5–10+ years
• Swimming Zone: Bottom

Enhance your reef aquarium’s clean-up crew today!