Shingle Urchin

The Shingle Urchin is adapted to wave-battered rocky shores, with a low profile and flattened spines that resemble overlapping plates. Powerful attachment helps it resist the surging water of its natural habitat.

Its natural feeding includes hard red coralline algae. This is a different requirement from simply having hair algae in an aquarium, so plan an appropriate, sustainable grazing surface before considering one. A newly assembled display with clean rock does not reproduce the feeding opportunities of an established rocky shore.

Housing should account for its exposed, well-circulated habitat and strong grip. Do not pry an attached urchin from rock or pull its tube feet. Treat it as a specialized grazing animal whose food and environmental needs must be met, rather than an interchangeable substitute for a common reef urchin.