Cool as can be: Have you ever kept a cucumber in your aquarium?

[Peace River]

Cool as can be: Have you ever kept a cucumber in your aquarium?

Cucumbers are both vulnerable and dangerous to the other creatures in a reef tank. While they have limited external protection, a cucumber’s ability to secrete a toxic solution when stressed can decimate all the living inhabitants in the aquarium. Some cucumbers can sift microorganisms out of the sand and others can filter microorganisms out of the water column. Adding a cucumber to your tank does come with risks, but the reward of keeping a unique, alien-looking creature can be very alluring to some reef keepers. Have you ever kept a cucumber in your aquarium? If so, feel free to share pictures, tips, and any recommendations that you may have with the R2R community!

Photo by @MatteZ; Tiger Sea Cucumber


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

“Dinkins Aquatic Gardens specializes in producing top-quality copepods, phytoplankton, amphipods, and berghia nudibranchs. We are a small husband-and-wife company that intensely focuses on customer service. We'd love to have you experience the Dinkins Difference!"

 

[Waggers]

I put a tiger tail in my tank a couple of years back . Since then it has split multiple times . I gave some to my friends and took half a dozen to lfs . I left one in and that’s split again . I think tiger tails are probably the safest one to keep . I also had a pink one for a year or so and that disappeared over a year ago with no ill effects to tank inhabitants .

 

[cdemoss01]

Never have. Don't they ink if they die?

 

[shakacuz]

the reason they can nuke my tank is the reason i hesitate. are there any other, safer alternatives? sea hare?

 

[Fish Styx]

I voted "other" because I currently have three

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I put a tiger tail in my tank a couple of years back . Since then it has split multiple times . I gave some to my friends and took half a dozen to lfs . I left one in and that’s split again . I think tiger tails are probably the safest one to keep . I also had a pink one for a year or so and that disappeared over a year ago with no ill effects to tank inhabitants .

I did not know they split, similar to asterina stars?

 

[Fish Styx]

the reason they can nuke my tank is the reason i hesitate. are there any other, safer alternatives? sea hare?

Most sea hares will slowly starve to death in our tanks, and will foul your tank faster than most cucumbers. TBH, the only cuke I would stay away from for this reason / fear would be the Aussie Sea Apple.

 

[twentyleagues]

Kept tiger tails for years. Never had any issues.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I just got a yellow sea cucumber last month, did a lot of research on them nuking tanks, but it seems to be a myth.

Lots of warnings and cautions, but extremely few examples (dare I say none?) of actual nuked tanks.

 

[shakacuz]

Most sea hares will slowly starve to death in our tanks, and will foul your tank faster than most cucumbers. TBH, the only cuke I would stay away from for this reason / fear would be the Aussie Sea Apple.

and of course the standard carbon is required/advised in the event they do release their toxins?

 

[Reefer Matt]

I had one a few years ago in my 36 gallon. It disappeared after about 4-6 months, and I haven’t seen it since. Nothing happened with the tank or inhabitants. But I may try again if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[ReeferHD]

I just got a yellow sea cucumber last month, did a lot of research on them nuking tanks, but it seems to be a myth.

Lots of warnings and cautions, but extremely few examples (dare I say none?) of actual nuked tanks.

it seems like the only ones that are capable of crashing tanks are the "burnt sausage" cucumbers and sea apples.

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I always have cucumbers in my aquariums! Echinoderms in general are my favorite group of organisms, I've kept every type over the years and have loved each one. Cucumbers in particular are wonderful; they are like giant caterpillars and all serve a function in my reef. I currently have one pacific black/pink cuke, but I plan to source a Gulf Giant soon.

 

[Tired]

Accidentally. A couple of tiny filter-feeding ones came in on my live rock, and seem to be okay so far. Pretty little feeding fans on these.

 

[randomfishdude]

Can't because it would scare my cat

 

[Fish Styx]

it seems like the only ones that are capable of crashing tanks are the "burnt sausage" cucumbers and sea apples.

I had a burnt sausage go missing and it never caused any issues with my system.

 

[bryan47caveman]

I have a black one currently, just sits on the glass and moves about an inch every day, occasionally moves down to the sand, very boring lol

 

[Doctorgori]

I had one a few years ago in my 36 gallon. It disappeared after about 4-6 months, and I haven’t seen it since. Nothing happened with the tank or inhabitants. But I may try again if the opportunity presents itself.

I’ve had them show up months after last sighting ….when I converted to bare bottom I thought I lost mine. only to discover it several months later alive and well in. my bare bottom…I actual saw it a few months ago

 

[Reefer Matt]

I’ve had them show up months after last sighting ….when I converted to bare bottom I thought I lost mine. only to discover it several months later alive and well in. my bare bottom…I actual saw it a few months ago

That’s cool. I’m pretty sure mine is gone. It has been about 3 years. But maybe.

 

[vlangel]

I have a cucumber currently and his name is Karl. He is an Atlantic variety that I got from KP Aquatics and he is a wonderful work horse. He constantly consumes sand, digesting the particles that nourish him and pooping out the clean sand, (which sounds contradictory but actually is not). He is my 2nd and neither cucumber has ever been a problem.