Tuxedo Urchin

The tuxedo urchin (Mespilia globulus) is a compact Indo-Pacific grazer named for its dark banded "suit" pattern, kept for cleaning film and hair algae off live rock. It is nocturnal and shy by day, and it will pick up empty shells, coral rubble and loose frag plugs to wear as camouflage — normal behavior, but it can knock over unglued rockwork and frags while foraging. It also grazes coralline algae once nuisance algae runs out. Reef-safe toward coral tissue and peaceful toward tankmates, but — like all echinoderms — it cannot tolerate copper medication and needs an established tank with real algae growth to avoid starving.