Purple Sea Urchin:
Total size: around 4in. across
Scientific Name:
The purple sea urchin, more often found closer inland to southern california and the Baja area is a snail type creature that will wander around your glass, and rocks. Sea urchins live off of algae, and will turn your rocks completely white from eating so much algae off of it. White spots on your rocks is unattractive, so think twice before placing this creature in your tank. Some sea urchins (excluding the purple, and rare red sea urchin) will eat your starfish. Sea urchins shoot out hundreds of age which will most likely not survive in your tank. They are a great conversation starter.
Tank mates:
Community type fish only
Turbo Snail:
Total size: around 2 in.
Scientific Name:
Active snails, great algae eaters of hair algae (grows on rocks) and green algae (grows on glass.) Not at all harmful to coral.
Tank mates:
Community type fish only
Starfish:
Blue Starfish:
Total size: around 6 in.
Scientific Name:
Fluorescent blue color. Lives off of algae, but is a great decoration in the tank. Its actions is comical in that it taps on a rocks before crawling onto it, much like testing pool water with your foot. Doesn't bother corals or other animals. The blue starfish is a great reef animal.
Tank mates:
Community type fish only
Sand Starfish:
Total size: around 4 in.
Scientific Name:
This starfish is a sandy white, brown, and gray patterned starfish that lives in your sand bed. It will not dig under rocks or corals, or go into caves. Make sure you have an open area for this animal to wonder around in. It lives off of small shrimp and micro organisms it finds in the sand, so make sure you have live sand, that is 2in. deap in order for micro organisms to multiply.
Tank mates:
Community type fish only
