Sea urchin herbivory can have profound effects on coastal marine ecosystems. Understanding early life histories of ecologically relevant species can provide insight into population dynamics and broader ecosystem functioning. Settlement dynamics, defined as the transitional process from planktonic larva to benthic juvenile, are largely unknown for the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum despite its importance to Caribbean coral reefs and being the most widely studied tropical sea urchin. Recent advances in larviculture methods for this species have resulted in large numbers of late-stage larvae and the ability to perform replicated settlement research that otherwise is prohibitively difficult to study through field observations. In this study, laboratory culture of late-stage larvae and settlement assays were employed to report first empirical observations of D. antillarum settlement response to a suite of cues. Positive settlement to two types of calcareous macroalgae and a biofilmed ceramic tile, along with zero settlement in three other treatments, revealed the need for obligatory cues. An agonistic relationship between tiles and biofilm revealed the importance of both a structural and biochemical cue, and evidence for a tactile response in D. antillarum larvae. Results from an assay comparing settlement rates between two larval morphologies further aided in the development of a general description of competence, or the point at which larvae are capable of metamorphosis. Subsequent experimentation revealed positive effects of phytoplankton food availability on competence acquisition of late-stage larvae and on proportional settlement of mixed development larval populations.