Sea cucumber?

[gsiegel]

So I have heard mixed opinions but is a standard ugly black sea cucumber toxic? I've heard that they are excellent and helping to control the algae and diatoms on the sand bed. I have a 30 gallon tank with Coral and just a couple of small fish. Thoughts of adding a sea cucumber to help keep the same bed clean? Pros and cons?

 

[d2mini]

What is "standard"? If it's a tiger tail cucumber than it's safe. They come in multiple colors... black, white, yellow, brown.
Fighting Conch is another option. I have some of both.

 

[gsiegel]

Thanks - I believe it is a tiger tail. If not a thick sand bed and have coral on the sand in a 30g tank which would you prefer? Difference in functionality between the 2?

 

[d2mini]

Thanks - I believe it is a tiger tail. If not a thick sand bed and have coral on the sand in a 30g tank which would you prefer? Difference in functionality between the 2?

For your 300g tank? I'd get several of each.
If they brush up against coral on the sand bed they might shift it a little. But you typically wouldn't see things turned upside down or moved to a totally different location. Both move at an extremely slow pace and don't pick anything up. The conches will burrow down a bit, as well as travel on the surface. I know the cucumbers will go under the rocks and stuff and you usually won't see them out during the day.

Another favorite part of my clean up crew are black urchins... short or long spine. They are gentle, don't pick things up and they are awesome sauce at keeping your rock clean. The only thing they seem to bother a little is montipora as they travel over them but it's usually just irritation/retracted polyps, not lasting damage.

 

[gsiegel]

Thanks. This is actually only a 30 gallon tank that I have in addition to the big tank. I got a smaller tank to be able to have some of the higher end corals.