Beckie Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Any opinions on sea cucumbers? Thinking about getting one to keep the sand clean. I have read that they can poison the tank though. Crabs & snails just arn't getting the job done. (scratch) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I'm thinking about getting a Tigertail cucumber to work my sandbed. If they are safe from harrassment I think that the possibility of releasing their toxins is very small. It is mostly a stress/defensivemove from what I understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr S Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I have had a multitude of various cukes and never had a problem with them poisoning the tank. The biggest problem I have had is with them climbing up the side of the tank and plugging up the overflow to the sump. Never caused tank overflow but always made me nervous to see the water level in the tank suddenly rise and then drop back down as they crawled away. This was not a tiger tail however. This was a big black cuke about 8" long. A classroom favorite. Looks like poo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Tiger tail cucs have worked for me. I gave on to Mr S as mine split into 3 after a while. I have never had it climb the walls of my tank either. Only thing is they like to move alot of sand and do not care what they bury. I would have to move it sometimes if a coral or something would get burried. Good luck with the decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Tiger tails are fine, never had aproblem even if I took one out or found in the filter pad and returned to the tank. Mine have split, I think I have 4-5 they leave nice piles of clean sand you can then spread around. You might check the flow in your tank if you are getting brown algae on your sand then adjusting your power heads or adding some to keep good water movement down low will keep your sand clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I have one right now that Jeffp gave me. I didn't really know what it was at first but I gave it a try. He stays to one main area in my tank and it is white sand all over there... I like him. He goes back and forth between my big lobo coral and a large rock, and he hasn't ever left the sand at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralreefaquarist Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 my understanding is they are one of those things everyone has heard about the poisining and are scared off but if you ask almost everyone you know in the hobby no one has ever met anyone who has had one go bad on them. kinda like sea apples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpunk Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 yea, but I couldn't have a sea apple. I would be afraid an alien or something would hatch out of that crazy looking thing one night while I was sleeping. Very cool looking, but they freak me out a little. I think you are right though. It is more of a "I heard" thing. I was told that cow/box fish were bound to poison by tank sooner or later. I had mine for 18 months and he was great. A filter grabbed him for about 6 hours and he later died, but never one problem with him. Even when I had to pull him off and hold him in my hand in the tank. May just get another someday too.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undrtkr_00 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 yea, but I couldn't have a sea apple. I would be afraid an alien or something would hatch out of that crazy looking thing one night while I was sleeping. Very cool looking, but they freak me out a little. (clap)(clap)(clap)(clap) That made me laugh. I have a black cucumber that travels all over the tank. Keeps most of the sand clean, but likes to be up on the walls, too. Also, nassarius snails are pretty good sand sifters, and it is awesome to see their snorkels pop up out of the sand when they detect food. Very entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 yeah I heard the same thing about sea hares and sea apples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgrant Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I have two tiger tails. They get around the pretty good and the piles of sand poo are the best looking sand in my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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