Sea Cucumber Stuck

twoodall

New member
What is up with this guy? He feed on substrate for a couple days now he has crawled into a rock and it appears he is stuck. Any ideas? He is still moving around, but has been in the rock or atleast half in the rock for more than 24 hours.:mad2:
 
Probably eating. But if he stops moving, lose no time getting him out of your tank. They're toxic when they die.

Note: do not get curious and move the rock unless you reallly suspect he's dead: injured (by rock) they also give off toxin.
 
I have one that crawled up the glass and is wrapped around one of the power head intakes to my Backpak 2 skimmer. I turned the power head off hoping he would crawl back to the bottom. I am afraid to move him fearing it will release toxins. Anyone in the Seattle area want a free Sand sifting Cucumber?
 
sand mopping cukes are extremely low in toxicity and not worth any worry.
I've had them chopped in two by a powerhead and I ended up with two cukes.
and cucumbers don't get stuck in the rocks, if he got in, he can get out.
bsmom, just wait it out, the cuke will likely free himself.
 
Thanks Rick! I feel a bit safer now. I just wanted to get both skimmers going. Also the cleaner shrimp have been hanging out around it. I think eventually cucumber will get hungry and leave.
 
Why is it that people want to take the risk of sea cucumbers? The risk reward on this animal is simply not worth it.
 
I disagree, they're great sand cleaners without hurting the microfauna and I've put my share of cukes thru hell, including killing a couple, and I've never had an issue.

sea apples and other filter feeding cukes ready to nuke on the other hand...
 
I have avoided sea apples just for that reason. I did some research and felt that a sand sifting cucumber was low on the risk scale, but didn't count on it committing suicide. I felt like the guy would get himself out, but was sure it he had a reverse. Anyway, I guess I will know his fate tomorrow when I return back to work.
 
Listen to Rick, he knows his cucumbers!

Sand sifting cukes are totally safe. And could probably escape a 100# rock slide if they had to. This crawling into a rock or along side the bottom or a rock is totally normal behavior. I had a coupe that would wedge themselves into rocks all the time. They'll go on their way soon enough.

They are also totally safe. I've seen (not had) some cut in half and turn into 2 cucumbers. It's the Sea Apples that you have to worry about.
 
I have a tigertail cuke and he gets himselk wedged between the rocks.

I've never had an issue with hin put I also don't purposely bug him.
 
It's been hanging out here since Friday. I hope it goes back down soon.
<a href="http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/pnwroselover/?action=view&current=cuke.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/pnwroselover/cuke.jpg" border="0" alt="Cucumber"></a>
 
Looks fine to me. I would have just pulled him off if it had bothered me :) I have moved mine several times with no ill effects. They just kind of scrunch up. From what i've read, most of the sand sifting cucumbers in the aquarium trade aren't really all that dangerous. It's one of my favorite tank inhabitants. Does a bang up job cleaning the sand as well.
 
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