sea cucumber : filter or sediment feeder?

[plankton]

OK, I know, I know. Do your research before you buy.

But, it was a good deal and I need one!

But, did I get the right one?

I wanted a substrate sifting sea cucumber to sift the fine sugar-sized aragonite I have in my 60G cube and in my 6" deep sand bed in refugium.

However, I ordered from an outfit in Florida and now I'm not sure if I ordered a sand-sifting or water-column filtering cucumber. Meaning is this cuk gunna plant itself on my live rock and just filter the water column for food or is it going to sift the sand?!?

OK, tell me how stupid I was...

Can you tell by photo? Here it is. I've already emailed them for the common or scientific name but not sure if they'll know.

Here is what the text on the ebay auction reads:

THIS IS A REEF SAFE INVERT THAT IS NOTED BY AUTHORS SUCH AS BOB FENNER & ANTHONY CALFO IN THEIR BOOK Reef Invertebrates, An Essential Guide to Selection, Careand Compatibility TO EAT DETRITUS & HELP MAINTAIN A DEEP SAND BED.

Thanks.

Scott

 

[plateboy3293]

Looks kind of like my atlantic cuke that I have. Mine only filters the water. I know tigertail cukes are supposed to sift the sandbed.

 

[Airwolf75]

Yes, it looks like the Common Atlantic Sea Cucumber, and it will eat sand and leave little cylinders of clean sand behind. Sometime it will clean the rocks and glass too. it's a good one. I have 3 and they are great.

 

[Airwolf75]

name is probably Holothuria floridana

 

[Anthony Calfo]

FWIW... the citation is correct and I agree with folks/friends chiming in here: the specimen pictured is not a (planktivorous) filter feeder, but rather appears likely in form and function to search soft substrates for its food.

kindly, Anth-

 

[plankton]

Thanks all. That helps alot.

Scott