sorry! no pictures, but cucumbers and stars?

[jakkalofv]

So I was at the LFS the other day and I asked about cucumbers, they told me that they were a bad choice because they could easily get sucked into a powerhead or die in some other way which could likely lead to a crash.

I was also told that brittle or serpant stars would eat snails and other beneficial creatures and weren't good.

Before I talked to him I wanted both of these things, now I'm not sure, so if anyone can offer input let it fly.

Thanks
Jake

 

[scowiii]

um no and no. My cukes are to busy squeezed in the rocks and the bristle stars are so small they are in the gravel and in the rock itself and they eat detrius not snails.

 

[Untamed12]

I don't have any powerheads....but my cuke's don't ever venture off the floor of the aquarium, so I think it is unlikely that one would find it's way into a powerhead.

I also disagree with the assessment of brittle stars, which I find to be very helpful at finding uneaten food and show no interest in hunting snails or other critters. Even if they did, I would just purchase a few more snails because the brittle star is far more interesting.

 

[Eldouble]

the only thing i lost to a power head was a pygmy angel and a hermit. the cucs are not a must have, but do sift though the upper layer of sand. the sand sifting stars may be a better choice though.

 

[scubastorey]

FYI: My cucumber died last week resulting in the death of my snails, coco worms, Serpent Star, feather dusters, cup corals and most of my brittle stars. I will never have another cucumber in my tank.

 

[liverock]

good and bad...

good and bad...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11293583#post11293583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scubastorey
FYI: My cucumber died last week resulting in the death of my snails, coco worms, Serpent Star, feather dusters, cup corals and most of my brittle stars. I will never have another cucumber in my tank.

FYI

there are good cukes and bad cukes....cukes from overseas are mostly toxic....cukes from the gulf are totally non toxic.....and will not harm a tank when dead/dying......good cukes are usually brown/black/or tiger tails...
Richard TBS

 

[scowiii]

One of my smaller cukes died and became nice hermit food. No spike in tank. The big one is still going strong and getting fatter.

 

[jakkalofv]

i keep hearing that sand sifting stars are bad for live sand because the eat all of the creatures living in it, it is my understanding that cukes sift the sand in a similar mannar. under this assumption wouldn't cucumbers be bad for live sand?

 

[scowiii]

no. Sand sifting stars and cukes help break down the bad stuff in your tank and keep the good stuff plentiful. Also it helps keep the sand constantly churning and keep it live and kicking.