Sea Cucumber at the top of tank

edaive · 03/22/2014, 10:38 PM

Hi all

I recently bought a pink sea cucumber for my 6foot tank.

For the first couple of days it was roaming around the sand which was great, however since then it's been stationary at the very top of the tank, not sure if this is normal or not

I was under the impression that the purpose of the cucumber was to clean the sand bed, so is it pointless to keep if it's just going to sit at the top of the tank doing nothing? It's been there for 5 days now.

I understand there is a risk with the cucumbers if they die as they release toxins, which is why i'm cautious to keep it if there's going to be no benefit in the sand-bed cleaning

Reef Frog · 03/23/2014, 04:19 AM

Is yours pink & yellow or do you know the species? A very colorful, beautiful animal with interesting feeding behavior but iotherwiae low entertainment value. Some cukes will seek out a high flow location and extend their filtering array to catch stuff floating by. Mine stayed in the same area all the time I had it. They should be target fed. Mine slowly declined and I had to remove it. If they get smaller and/or the feeding tentacles become floppy it is probably declining.

I was very careful while removing it. Lowered the water level in my 65g and I scraped it off the glass with a sharpened credit card and wiped the area down. Poison still got in the tank and I killed a few small fish but all corals were fine. In fact all LPS polyps & feeding tentacles were extended to the maximum and never looked better.

I would never put one in my aquarium again.

edaive · 03/23/2014, 05:21 AM

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure of the species, it's pink and black (no yellow).

Hope it survives! So I'm guessing its quite normal in that case for them to just sit up the top of the tank for days? I was just worried it wouldn't be able to eat anything as its not on the sand bed.

Will it be an issue with water changes (being at the top of the tank)? it'd be out of water for a good 10 - 15 minutes :-/

johnike · 03/23/2014, 05:32 AM

My pink and yellow has been near the top of the tank for years and hardly moves. The Tiger Tails and Black Cucumbers seem to stay in the sand from my experience. Being out of water during water changes doesn't seem to bother it.
Got a pic of yours?

Paul B · 03/23/2014, 05:35 AM

Here's mine

AkoAung · 08/05/2014, 11:59 AM

hahaha

Nina51 · 08/05/2014, 12:24 PM

paul, yours is either pooping or sticking its tongue out at you. i'm not sure which.

m0nkie · 08/05/2014, 12:32 PM

hahahahaha

03/22/2014, 10:38 PM	#1
edaive Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 8	Sea Cucumber at the top of tank Hi all I recently bought a pink sea cucumber for my 6foot tank. For the first couple of days it was roaming around the sand which was great, however since then it's been stationary at the very top of the tank, not sure if this is normal or not I was under the impression that the purpose of the cucumber was to clean the sand bed, so is it pointless to keep if it's just going to sit at the top of the tank doing nothing? It's been there for 5 days now. I understand there is a risk with the cucumbers if they die as they release toxins, which is why i'm cautious to keep it if there's going to be no benefit in the sand-bed cleaning

03/23/2014, 05:35 AM	#5
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Here's mine __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

08/05/2014, 12:24 PM	#7
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	paul, yours is either pooping or sticking its tongue out at you. i'm not sure which. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

08/05/2014, 12:32 PM	#8
m0nkie Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: LA Posts: 6,264	hahahahaha __________________ 560gal in the making

03/23/2014, 04:19 AM	#2
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Is yours pink & yellow or do you know the species? A very colorful, beautiful animal with interesting feeding behavior but iotherwiae low entertainment value. Some cukes will seek out a high flow location and extend their filtering array to catch stuff floating by. Mine stayed in the same area all the time I had it. They should be target fed. Mine slowly declined and I had to remove it. If they get smaller and/or the feeding tentacles become floppy it is probably declining. I was very careful while removing it. Lowered the water level in my 65g and I scraped it off the glass with a sharpened credit card and wiped the area down. Poison still got in the tank and I killed a few small fish but all corals were fine. In fact all LPS polyps & feeding tentacles were extended to the maximum and never looked better. I would never put one in my aquarium again.

03/23/2014, 05:21 AM	#3
edaive Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 8	Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure of the species, it's pink and black (no yellow). Hope it survives! So I'm guessing its quite normal in that case for them to just sit up the top of the tank for days? I was just worried it wouldn't be able to eat anything as its not on the sand bed. Will it be an issue with water changes (being at the top of the tank)? it'd be out of water for a good 10 - 15 minutes :-/

03/23/2014, 05:32 AM	#4
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	My pink and yellow has been near the top of the tank for years and hardly moves. The Tiger Tails and Black Cucumbers seem to stay in the sand from my experience. Being out of water during water changes doesn't seem to bother it. Got a pic of yours?

08/05/2014, 11:59 AM	#6
AkoAung aka -iDestroya- Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Toronto Posts: 507	hahaha