About Indo-Pacific Rock-boring Urchin
Indo-Pacific rock-boring urchin — solid algae grazer that will mow down nuisance algae and coralline alike. Watch placement: it will rearrange small frags and shells. The spines are sharp; gloves recommended for tank work.
Echinometra mathaei, the burrowing urchin, is a species of sea urchin in the family Echinometridae. It occurs in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific region. The type locality is Mauritius.
Notes from the editors
What it looks like. Compact dark-bodied urchin with short, sharp spines. Adult diameter ~3 inches.
In your tank. Active algae grazer that will mow nuisance algae, but also grazes coralline. Will rearrange small frags, shells, and unsecured rockwork.
Care notes. Reef-safe with caution. Spines are sharp; gloves recommended for tank work. Stable, mature systems preferred.
Sourcing and feeding. Wild-collected from Indo-Pacific reefs; available through specialty suppliers ($15–30). Herbivore — algae, nori sheets.
Care info is a starting point, not a guarantee. Individual specimens, water chemistry, and tankmate dynamics vary. Verify against multiple sources and adjust to what you observe. See our terms & disclaimers.
Related invertebrates
Sources & attribution
- Taxonomy and accepted name from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS AphiaID 213383).
- Description content adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: Blowing Puffer Fish · CC BY 2.0 (via iNaturalist or Wikimedia Commons).