Sea Cucumbers

[Salty168]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=772515

I was looking at this thread and i saw a post thet said some cucumbers are not toxic if they die. Mainly the tiger tail. Is this true? I thought all cucumbers are toxic.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I've always been told that all sea cucumbers are toxic when they die. There may be some that aren't, but I'd do checking before you invest.

And as for them being able to nuke the entire tank... maybe, if you have a big cucumber in a small tank. I have 2 in my 180g, 1 in my 75g and 2 in my 65g shallow reef. I had one die a while back and I saw no ill effects in the tank, but the tank is in a system that is 400 gallons total. So I might just have had enough solution to dilute the pollution of a dead cucumber.

 

[Salty168]

Yeah, im looking into them but am still getting mixed info.

 

[gmlee]

Me too and I only have a 40.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Yeah, im looking into them but am still getting mixed info.

Is the Tiger Tail the cucumber you are interested in? Or is there another species?

 

[Salty168]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+502+712&pcatid=712

and

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+502+707&pcatid=707

 

[johnike]

I've kept both kinds for many years and have never had one nuke a tank, even when an 18"+ one got tangled up in the old closed loop strainer. It was horribly gross, but killed nothing even after being pretty much mangled up.
Love how they clean the sand. The Tiger Tails seem to stay put after finding a spot they like, and the others are free range sand cleaners.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Salty, you did notice that LA says both of those may release toxins into the water if injured or killed, right?

But I'm with johnike, I've had several and never saw any issues. I wouldn't put one in a small tank. A) Not enough food, B) Not enough water to dilute any release of toxin.

My wife and I found this one in the Keys a few weeks ago when we were snorkeling off Money Key.




It's probably a little to big for my 25g frag tank... :wildone:

 

[Reef Frog]

I had a cuke kill all fish & nothing else in my 65 early on (5~ years ago), not the Tiger Tail, another species. This too was listed as "mildly toxic" or something similar.

Big water volumes would have to be an advantage in such an event.

RonR: That's one beautiful slug you got there!

No more cukes for me.