International Aquatics
Banded Pencil Urchin
Banded Pencil Urchin
🛡️ International Aquatics Quarantine & Guarantee
All fish are checked by marine vets, given a formalin bath, and held for 14 days in copper-treated systems. We feed Selcon-soaked food with Kanaplex and Metroplex during quarantine. Unless marked, all livestock comes with our 15-Day Guarantee. You will receive a video of your fish eating before shipment. For size preference please add a note on your order and we will match your fish to your requested size. If you just want the fish without our QT process, Please email us directly with your order number. Please note this does waive the 15 day guarantee.
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My species/animal is an invertebrate: Banded Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris sp.). It is a peaceful species that is reef-safe with caution, admired for its short, thick, banded spines that resemble pencils, its armored appearance, algae-grazing behavior, and unique ability to carry shells or debris on its back for camouflage.
Males typically cannot be distinguished from females, as pencil urchins are not sexually dimorphic, while juveniles are smaller with thinner, less developed spines. They reach about 3–5 inches across (including spines) as adults and should be housed in aquariums of at least 30–50 gallons.
Provide ample live rock for grazing and hiding, with a stable sand or rubble substrate, as they can move and topple loose aquascaping. Maintain stable water parameters (salinity ~1.020–1.025, temp ~72–79 °F, pH ~8.1–8.4). While they do not jump, ensure equipment and corals are secured, since they may knock items over while moving.
Diet should consist of algae (natural growth on rocks and glass), supplemented with dried seaweed (nori), macroalgae, and sinking herbivore pellets. In some cases, they may also scavenge on leftover meaty foods such as mysis or brine shrimp. With proper care, this urchin makes a hardy and fascinating addition to the aquarium, serving both as a grazer and a visually unique display invertebrate.
International Aquatics Quarantine & Guarantee: All fish are checked by marine vets, given a formalin bath, and held for 14 days in copper-treated systems. We feed Selcon-soaked food with Kanaplex and Metroplex during quarantine. Unless marked, all livestock comes with our 15-Day Guarantee. You will receive a video of your fish eating before shipment. On request, we also send photos/videos after arrival at IA. Some species are import-to-order (3-10 business days). Many common species are already cleared or near the end of QT.
Several species will be import-to-order and may take anywhere from 3-10 business days to secure. Once your fish is secured, you will be notified, and the quarantine process will then begin.
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