Cucumbers - toxic?

[Untamed12]

There are so many stories around about people who have very bad experience with sea cucumbers. Mostly, they take down entire tanks when they die (mostly via powerhead intakes). Any large critter can cause a tank crash when they die, but the popular belief is that the cucs release toxins when stressed or dying.

Rarely, does the story ever have the details of the particular KIND of sea cucumber involved.

What are your conclusions/experiences with the various sea cucumbers that are commonly found in your rock?

btw....mine seem to reproduced in my tank. My sump is now filled with possibly 100 or more sea cucumbers each less than 1/2" long. They are of type #1 in your critter list...the unknown one just before the one you identify as Donkey Dung.

 

[divemonster]

You're the person who got Tank of the Month for your area (Canada), aren't you? (I apologize for not remembering the details fully but I do remember your forthright manner when talking about hair algae and cyanobacteria in your tank)

Can you post a pic of your sump with those baby sea cucumbers? That would be a sight to see!

I have had a sea cucumber (looked like critter picture #52 on TBS website) die from injuries (stone crab! :furious: ) but its death did not take down my tank. From what Richard has said in previous posts the Gulf/Caribbean sea cucumbers do not produce the toxins that crash a tank, it is Pacific spp. which are responsible for tank crashes.

 

[Untamed12]

Yes, that is my tank. Hair algae and cyano. The cucs are actually key to keeping the sand bed decent looking because they "process" a significant amount of sand every day. I'll take some photos of my cucumbers for you.

Yes...#52. That is the type that has had babies. I have 8 or so large ones, including maybe 3 of the #52 about 12" in size and 5 or more of different looking ones. (One I know is commonly called "Tiger Tail")

What is interesting to me is that they must have reproduced sexually, because the young cucumbers are so small. (apparently, you can divide a cucumber in half and get two healthy cucumbers)

If I fail to get a good photo..just imagine they look identical to the photo on TBS..except less than 1/2" long.

 

[liverock]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14572772#post14572772 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Untamed12
Yes, that is my tank. Hair algae and cyano. The cucs are actually key to keeping the sand bed decent looking because they "process" a significant amount of sand every day. I'll take some photos of my cucumbers for you.

Yes...#52. That is the type that has had babies. I have 8 or so large ones, including maybe 3 of the #52 about 12" in size and 5 or more of different looking ones. (One I know is commonly called "Tiger Tail")

What is interesting to me is that they must have reproduced sexually, because the young cucumbers are so small. (apparently, you can divide a cucumber in half and get two healthy cucumbers)

If I fail to get a good photo..just imagine they look identical to the photo on TBS..except less than 1/2" long.

Pretty awesome....you are an aquaculturist..

Cukes from the Gulf are non toxic, however cukes from overseas are the ones that are toxic......and are usually brightly colored...stay away from them unless you are sure they are from the Gulf...Gulf cukes are good guys.....and love to process!

sea ya
Richard TBS:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:

 

[noahm]

Love your tank!! Wish I could have that space.

Anyway as to cukes, I had one that must have gotten injured or something. It was about 5-6 inches long and their were crabs and serpent stars feeding on its blown up cigar stub at one end. White goo was coming out and one rock crab was just eating a gob of it. It was in a place that I couldn't get to it, so I just left it alone. A couple days later, there were streamers of white goo flying around the tank. Everything with polyps was open and all critters seemed ok. I think the cuke was in a hole since there was just goo coming out of a hole. I siphoned a bunch up with a sock trap at the end, but could not find the cuke. Later in the day, no more streamers and all seemed ok. i don't know whether he just completely dismantled himself, or just got better, but it never did anything as far as setting off the skimmer or affecting the livestock. Sea apples seem to be the serious culprits of cuke poisoning from what I have heard.

Did i mention you have an awesome tank..