sea cucumbers and NO3 PO4

[Jaycen B.]

Could a tiger tail sea cucumber help the sand bed from absorbing nitrates and phosphates?

 

[hud3339]

Tagging along!

 

[ralph atl]

good question, i'm thinking nope.

 

[slowjazz]

Jaycen B.;719677 wrote: Could a tiger tail sea cucumber help the sand bed from absorbing nitrates and phosphates?

I'm also thinking nope.... It will keep most of the top layer clean as it eats the sand and dumps clean sand, but i don't think it will:

1) be able to clean the deeper layers
2) be able to turn over the sand fast enough

I would think the bigger the tank, the harder it would be to prevent the sand from absorbing everything. Maybe a combo of a sand shifting star, some cert/nerth snails and a cuc would get things turning? (I would just worry that the star may bump into the cuc and upset it. Which in turn could nuke your tank)

 

[hud3339]

slowjazz;719966 wrote: I'm also thinking nope.... It will keep most of the top layer clean as it eats the sand and dumps clean sand, but i don't think it will:

1) be able to clean the deeper layers
2) be able to turn over the sand fast enough

I would think the bigger the tank, the harder it would be to prevent the sand from absorbing everything. Maybe a combo of a sand shifting star, some cert/nerth snails and a cuc would get things turning? (I would just worry that the star may bump into the cuc and upset it. Which in turn could nuke your tank)

Tiger cucumber will not nuke a tank, that's why a lot of people have them

 

[Jaycen B.]

A tiger tail will not nuke a tank, I have 3 in my 210. I was just curious if they had the potential to process the waste before it could become "trapped".

haha Eddy

 

[hud3339]

Jaycen B.;719969 wrote: A tiger tail will not nuke a tank, I have 3 in my 210. I was just curious if they had the potential to process the waste before it could become "trapped".

haha Eddy

your only going to have 2 here in a couple weeks lol. Hopefully it will continue to split as much as it does in your tank

 

[Jaycen B.]

I must say I relly like them. They do a good job at keeping the sand clean.

 

[KrisDeitz]

I want one so bad but no one close ever ha them

 

[hud3339]

Optimum usually has them, but I'm sure arron or Simon at nemos could order you one

 

[bulldogg@me_com]

OK so I have been thinking of getting one. And from what I am reading is opposite from what I have been told. Will they or won't they wipe out your tank if they are picked on or die? Thanks for the info

 

[hud3339]

No they will not nuke your tank if picked on or dies

 

[Jaycen B.]

Bulldogg@me.com;720003 wrote: OK so I have been thinking of getting one. And from what I am reading is opposite from what I have been told. Will they or won't they wipe out your tank if they are picked on or die? Thanks for the info

Some of the brightly colored ones can pose a risk. Tiger tails (the ugly ones) are safe.

Eddy go back to work and stop doing that LOL.

 

[slowjazz]

Jaycen B.;720035 wrote: Some of the brightly colored ones can pose a risk. Tiger tails (the ugly ones) are safe.

Eddy go back to work and stop doing that LOL.

All the stories I have read on the internet point to a nuke from the cuc. (One guy lost all his fish and traced it to the dead tiger)
Maybe they have different levels of toxic, but a cucumber is a cucumber. (could also be that someone with a larger tank would have enough time to save the fish)

 

[gnashty]

I have always heard cucs can nuke a tank as well. Does anyone have any proof that they will not?


From Live Aquaria for Tiger Tail Cucumber

&lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=2', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Care Level</a>: Easy &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=3', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Temperament</a>: Peaceful &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=8', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Water Conditions</a>: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025 &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=10', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Max. Size</a>: 1' &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=11', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Color Form</a>: Tan &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=12', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Venomous</a>: Poisonous When Stressed or Dies &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=13', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Diet</a>: Omnivore &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=16', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Origin</a>: Indo-Pacific &lt;a href=&quot;http://javascript<b></b>opupWindow('/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=17', 50, 50, 450, 400, 'scrollbars')"&gt;Family</a>: Holothuriidae

 

[Jaycen B.]

Well!!!

 

[gnashty]

I still would like to see anyone who has an account of wether or not these are safer than others. Or anymore information on the Tiger Tail and toxicity, I dont always trust the Live Aquaria info so its good to hear expericence too. Not saying anyone is wrong. I like the idea of one and need my sand cleaned. Im just not sure its worth the risk, even if its a 1% chance.

 

[hud3339]

JaycenB has 3 in his tank for now untill I take one when my tank is back in order

 

[schwaggs]

I've had these in my tank for the last 6 years. Not sure what you would have to do to kill one, they are very hardy in my experience. Mine has split several times over the years, I think I have 3 or 4 currently. My only complaint is that over time, all of your sand ends up at the back of the tank or around your rock work. They pull the sand in their mouth that roams around the tank and the sand exits the other end in your rockwork or the back of the tank.

 

[dawgface]

Sorry but some bad advice is running rampant here.

Tiger tail cucumbers absolutely pose a risk of the dreaded "cuke nuke". Like many of thier colorful filter feeding cousins they come equipped with cuvierian tubules, which is the last line of defence for the creature. Depending on the size of the cucumber vs the size of your tank it could very well wipe out entirely.

It is important to note that all cucumbers have multiple lines of defence. The release of the cuvierian tubules is understood to happen only in the most severe of situations I.e. animal eaten or sucked into an mp60 or such. However remote it may be it CAN happen and you should take precautions when adding this to your tank.