Purple-Spined Urchin

Sustainably Harvested

Excellent Bio filtration

Fast and Fresh Delivery

TAMPA BAY SALTWATER Critter

Urchins are add-on items for air cargo orders.

$10.00

Arbacia Punctulata

The purple spined urchin is an interesting clean-up crew option for mixed reefs, sps tanks and even fowlr tanks housing moderately aggressive fish. These nocturnal prickly creatures will scavenge live rock and aquarium glass eating algae, even coralline algae.

The Gulf of Mexico has a clean-up crew and so should you!

Keep It Clean Folks! Add critters to your order.

TBS is the oldest working aquaculture Live Rock Farm. The site is located in the nutrient rich water off Tarpon Springs known as the Sponge Captial of the world. Harvested with care, our Living Rock and Live Sand always travel submerged to preserve life forms vital for your aquarium's health.

Pretty Prickly

Sustainably Ocean Harvested

Algae Eating Machine

Omnivore

Preferred for Tanks over 50 Gallons

Coralline Algae Scrubber

Nursery for Banggai Fry

Handle with Care

Black with Purple Hue

2″ – 5″

Florida Purple Spined Urchin

These urchins arrive as small hitchhikers on our live rock. When in the holding system, they thrive and grow quickly. Nocturnal prickly creatures will scavenge the live rock and aquarium glass eating algae (even coralline algae). They require tanks with a healthy amount of algae or heavily fed fish. Purple spined urchins will eat left over fish food and nori. It is said they like to nibble at sponges.

At full size, we recommend them for tanks 100+ gallons.

Please be careful when working in a tank with long spined urchins.

Let us know if you are looking for smaller or larger urchin.

*This product is an add-on for air cargo orders.

*Want them delivered to your door? Check out Critter Getters in the Treasure Chest category.

There is Nothing like Ocean Aquacultured Live Rock

TBS Live Rocks are a visual feast of shapes, sizes, and colors. Bahamian, Philippine, Trinidad, Florida quarried, vintage Pukani and reef friendly Walt Smith are found on the lease site. Walt Smith Reef Rock is the predominate foundation rock chosen for its sustainability, for its ability to attract and host life, and for its easily stackable unique shapes.

Live Rock will not only provide a natural looking environment for your inhabitants but provide a variety of unseen health benefits. Beneficial nitrifying bacteria helps process ammonia and work as a natural biological filter. Tiny holes and crevasses provide a refuge for microscopic critters like pods, filter feeders and other invertebrates to multiply.

We plant and harvest TBS live rock by hand. From receiving to shipping, each piece is handled with care. Rocks are selected on the ocean bottom and carefully loaded in mesh baskets where they are hauled up to the boat. They are inspected and placed in seawater filled barrels for the boat ride in. The fully submerged rock arrives at the warehouse and is placed in large holding systems filled with natural sea water. Moderate lighting is provided to maintain life forms until it is then shipped within 3-14 days.

Examples of the Live Critters Found on our Live Rock

Yellow Ball Sponges

Friendly Freebie

Bryozoan

Wintertime Friendly Freebie

Hydroid

Lovely, but some think Not

How Shipping Works

Most orders ship within 1 week. That’s fast & fresh delivery!

Sea

01

First, we venture out on the high seas aboard the workboat, Orion, for harvesting the underwater farm. There we seek the highest quality sand & rock for our customers. Onboard, rock and sand are transported fully submerged to the warehouse holding system. Inventory moves quickly, so harvesting is frequent. We do our best to keep all products in stock and ready to move. Keep in mind, that offshore diving is a weather dependent activity where our safety is priority.

After placing an order, we will reach out via email to schedule the date for air cargo delivery or bumpy road arrival. This is the time to confirm your aquarium is functioning and it is ready to provide life support. Good communication is vital for both of us, email provides a detailed record so we’re on the same page before the anchor drops. We aren’t Amazon, but we are fast.

Schedule

02 Air

03

Air cargo is our favorite way to move submerged live rock across the country. It is fast, safe and cost effective. We take great pride in delivering the freshest products. In most cases, we package orders the SAME day you receive it. After tendering your boxes at Tampa International Airport, you will receive an Airway Tracking number to follow your shipment. Air cargo is paid directly to the airline at pickup with an ID and a credit card.

Small orders ship flat rate UPS. They arrive at your door a day after they are packed. Specific products that fit this box size are categorized as “Treasure Chests”. You will receive tracking information for your order via email. Flat rate shipping is charged at checkout. Please be home to receive these perishable items. Shipping is weather dependent.

Land

04 Delivery

05

WooHoo, it is the BIG day! Are you ready to get your hands wet? Is your aquarium prepared to sustain life? Put on some clean gloves and crack open the box. Prepare yourself for the smell of fresh ocean harvested products handled and packaged with great care. It is an honor to provide natural products sustainably harvested to benefit the health of your marine system.

Sustainably Harvested

Excellent Bio filtration

Fast and Fresh Delivery

TAMPA BAY SALTWATER Critter