Sea cucumber - YES, No?

[tofubox]

Hi guys,

My sandbed has some diatoms, since i released my goby to a nice reefer. Was thinking of an alternative which wont mess up my sand in the tank.

Anyone has any experience keeping sea cucumbers? I understand they are one of the best for sand dwelling clean up crew, doing an excellent job keeping the sand clean.

But i also understand they can be toxic when they release toxins into the water by dispelling their guts. It is possible for their toxins to wipeout the tank.

Anyone has experience keeping a sea cucumber? Should i be getting one to keep my sandbed clean? Or absolutely stay away from it?

Need some advice! THANKS!

[Terryz_]

Try sand sifter star, heart urchin or sand dollar... Sea cuke is very unpredictable... Kept 3 species before...

Depend on individual, some will climb and some will not... But I find tigertail sea cucumber is a better choice... Mine never climb before...

Most will get killed in the wavemaker...

[SamuelTan]

Sea cucumbers are the best sandbed cleaners you can have, the benefit of sea cucumbers outweigh the risks. Totally depends on your decision. I have one black sea cucumber 7cm long inside my tank currently, kept it for a week plus already. It does climbs around sometimes and even got close to the wavemaker but its just too fat and thick to be harm by the wavemaker So maybe you can consider getting a bigger one rather than a small cucumber?

[Copperband]

cucs are not a nice thing to look at !! if you get wht i mean

[SamuelTan]

cucs are not a nice thing to look at !! if you get wht i mean

Lol but they clean the sand 24/7!

[iskay]

my cuke released it's cuverian tubules when I first introduced an emperor shrimp. Other than that, it's a good sand stirrer and detritus sifter.

[Thexder]

I didn't have much luck with sea cucumbers. I had a black cucumber for 1 week then it spilled its guts out

Now I stick to sand dollars.

[iskay]

If your tank has a cuke irritant, then better don't mess with it. They don't necessarily die if they eviscerate. It's a defense mechanism to avoid predation. Their bowels grow back in a few weeks to months if given the desired environment.

[Underwater]

If you want to have a peace of mind that your livestock won't get poisoned, forget about getting one. IMO, benefits of it cleaning the sandbed doesn't outweigh the precious lives of your livestock, as well as the amount of money and time that you spent in this hobby. Further, there are other alternatives as suggested.

[vidextreme]

My sea cucumber even cleans the aquarium glass. When it does that, I'm reminded why I named it 'Mr T'.

It's actively cleaning the sand bottom even the area of live rocks that doesn't have anything. I wouldn't suggest you getting a big cucumber as it has tendencies on 'throwing it's weight around' in the tank. Having one should be enough.

From what I heard, it release toxic material when it dies. So if you're decided to put a sea cucumber l suggest you keep a close eye(looking intensensely, not closed eye LOL).

Oh, just to share my experience, when I placed mine in the tank, it didn't move for a few days, not an inch. (at that time, I didn't know they do the toxic-death thing) But I let it be and all of a sudden it moved and start getting to work. It's active ever since.

Also, if you are looking for critters to move your sand, I suggest you also consider snails, not turbo snails, a different kind. But sorry, I can't help you with the names.

[Anemone]

had mine for yrs. no problem yet.

[vinccc2009]

I have a sand dollar in my tank..hard working but only can clean up to a certain extend..they are round and move in straight line.

I have also a black sea cumcumber..hard working too..and it can sniff beneath rocks, area the sand dollar cannot reach..

The end product of the sea cumcumber is bullet shaped cleaned sand...haa

[McNugget]

Hello,

Does anyone had any experience with sea cucumbers polluting the whole system because it died????

Recently I just purchased one. It keeps sticking onto my live rocks rather than the sandbed!! I havent seen it on the sandbed for the past three days

Which means its not feeding.. And its worrying that it may die anytime....

[braincoral]

Hello,

Does anyone had any experience with sea cucumbers polluting the whole system because it died????

Recently I just purchased one. It keeps sticking onto my live rocks rather than the sandbed!! I havent seen it on the sandbed for the past three days

Which means its not feeding.. And its worrying that it may die anytime....

If your have a good system

Not to worry so much or else better find

it soon

[vincegoh]

I had 1 black sea cucumber for more than 5 years in my old tank. Still surviving well after I transfer to my friend tank.

I had another one for my 6 month tank and it is doing well as well.

To me, it is a must have.

My advice is to get one which size is appropriate for your tank. Monitor it for the first few weeks. If it survive, it is difficult to die.

[Underwater]

And when it dies without you noticing soon enough and poison the entire tank, good luck to all your precious livestock and investment. Why taking such risk? Don't say you have never been warned.

[cool guy]

Bro tofubox, i got a tigertail seacucumber. Its a small pc. Let me noe if ur interested k.

Am not takin a risk for my belove zoas... 

[tench1]

Bro tofubox, i got a tigertail seacucumber. Its a small pc. Let me noe if ur interested k.

Am not takin a risk for my belove zoas... 

Bro SC eats Zoas?

[cool guy]

No. I mean if it decide to toxin my tank... 

[Gobyluver]

I hv 2 black seacucumbers for 3.5 years. They just perish w/o me noticing it. I really miss those 2 buggers...

[ryanlio]

I got mine killed in wave maker. All fishes died. Some corals didnt make it as well. I'll avoid them.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[brojj]

Well, I had one that has been with me for almost 4 years. Black cucumber. It ever got struck in my wavemaker before when it first arrived, my wife discover early & we have managed to save it. Was injured slightly. No damage incurred. Ever since, it has learnt it's lesson & never venture near the wavemaker again. Today, it's keeping my sandbed very clean & occasionally knocking my corals over. Btw, I has been using carbon in one of my FR then & till today. Don't know whether carbon helps in this case or maybe I am lucky?

[bubblefish000]

black ones are best cubes for cleanin

[tropic]

I kept twice before and both have a fancy for my vortech. That seals their fate.

[supeter111]

Ya mine too