Is my sea cucumber ok?

[Holy handgrenade]

I bought a sea cucumber that arrived in the mail yesterday. He looked fine to me when i acclaimed him and when he was in the tank. He climbed on the glass and was there till this morning. I found him later around noon on the sand excreting a white mucus.
Is this normal? This isnt a toxin he might be releasing is it?
Im new to the salt hobby so this is my first experience with a cucumber.

 

[Timfish]

I'd be inclined to remove it. The threads aren't normal but what worries me more are the white slimy looking blothes around it's head.

 

[blaxsun]

It doesn't look healthy, no - that's not normal behaviour. What kind of sea cucumber is it? I'd also second the suggestion to remove it if possible. I'd use some rubber or plastic tongs to gently remove him, as you don't want to injure or trigger any kind of response. This is what a typical healthy sea cumber should look like; you should be able to see his feeders at the front and nothing stringy bubbling or hanging off him (ignore the oolite on this one, he just finished emerging from the substrate).

 

[Isopod80]

The slime is holothurin and it is toxic. It's the cucumber's defence when stressed. Having just added it, it's likely still acclimating and putting up some defense in the process. I'd run some carbon if you aren't already and possibly do a small water change. Keep an eye on the other tank inhabitants for signs of stress. If your parameters are good then cucumber should settle in before long.

 

[jackalexander]

I can see that your tank looks quite new. How long has it been cycled? I tend to add less hardy inverts at around 6-12 months after the tank is cycled. A lot of inverts like sea cucumbers and sea hares don’t do very well in aquariums so you want to give them the best opportunity with stable parameters.

 

[Miami Reef]

Your tank looks extremely new. The last thing I would add to a new tank is an animal that requires a well established tank that also has the ability to nuke tanks with poison when stressed. Remove it now for your tank’s sake!

 

[Miami Reef]

@jackalexander Smart minds think alike!

We posted at the same time lol.

 

[blaxsun]

The slime is holothurin and it is toxic. It's the cucumber's defence when stressed. Having just added it, it's likely still acclimating and putting up some defense in the process. I'd run some carbon if you aren't already and possibly do a small water change. Keep an eye on the other tank inhabitants for signs of stress. If your parameters are good then cucumber should settle in before long.

I'd still be reluctant to keep it in the tank if it's oozing toxins, but that's just me. I'm not sure if attempting to remove it at this point would make things better or worse, though. My understanding is that sea cucumbers will only become toxic if attacked and/or injured by a predator?

 

[jackalexander]

@jackalexander Smart minds think alike!

We posted at the same time lol.

right!!

 

[Holy handgrenade]

Your tank looks extremely new. The last thing I would add to a new tank is an animal that requires a well established tank that also has the ability to nuke tanks with poison when stressed. Remove it now for your tank’s sake!

Yes my tank is new. I guess i should have been smarter and dont some more research before i got him, dumb me . What do you think i should do with him? I am running some fresh carbon already in the tank and watching my fish for signs of stress

 

[Isopod80]

I agree with the others that it was too early to add this animal. How big is the tank? I'm guessing that the fish aren't showing stress at this point?

 

[Holy handgrenade]

I agree with the others that it was too early to add this animal. How big is the tank? I'm guessing that the fish aren't showing stress at this point?

Its a 20 gallon. And no, no signs of stress from my firefish or high fin goby

 

[Isopod80]

The issue is that many of the cucumbers are very difficult to positively identify. There are some that can nuke a tank almost immediately while others are very mild. If you had a potent variety even mildly sliming in a 20 gal. your fish would likely be dead already and at the very least, gasping. It's really up to you. You're already running carbon and I'd still do a water change as well. Obviously, the easiest thing would be to remove the animal and I would if the slime doesn't clear up by tomorrow. If you do decide to keep it you will have to offer it supplemental food at night when the fish are inactive until the tank can better support it. A mix of sinking algae and meaty pellets should help.

 

[Holy handgrenade]

The issue is that many of the cucumbers are very difficult to positively identify. There are some that can nuke a tank almost immediately while others are very mild. If you had a potent variety even mildly sliming in a 20 gal. your fish would likely be dead already and at the very least, gasping. It's really up to you. You're already running carbon and I'd still do a water change as well. Obviously, the easiest thing would be to remove the animal and I would if the slime doesn't clear up by tomorrow. If you do decide to keep it you will have to offer it supplemental food at night when the fish are inactive until the tank can better support it. A mix of sinking algae and meaty pellets should help.

Ok, i took him out of the tank and put him in a small holding container with an air stone. Tomorrow I will bring him to my LFS that i know will care for him

 

[Holy handgrenade]

Im kicking myself for not doing the research and making sure that i can properly care for the animals i get so times like this never happen. Well lesson learned! I am one that does a lot of looking around and learning except for this time..... Never happening again

 

[Isopod80]

I agree. My gut instinct was to tell you to toss it immediately but I guess I'm tired of seeing people flush animals. Instead, I decided to offer a possible alternative with the animal in mind. At least you're taking it to an lfs shop. I agree that it's the best idea.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I'd still be reluctant to keep it in the tank if it's oozing toxins, but that's just me. I'm not sure if attempting to remove it at this point would make things better or worse, though. My understanding is that sea cucumbers will only become toxic if attacked and/or injured by a predator?

wrong, any sick, stress or injured cuke will nuke

 

[blaxsun]

wrong, any sick, stress or injured cuke will nuke

I have to respectfully disagree on this. I've had two tiger tails crawl up in a crevice and die, and I had another black cucumber that got stressed and spewed some "super glue". None of these nuked the tank. In the first two instances the tanks were small 25-gallons and in the latter a 160-gallon. I'm not suggesting it can't happen, I'm just saying it isn't always a certainty.

 

[Isopod80]

I have to respectfully disagree on this. I've had two tiger tails crawl up in a crevice and die, and I had another black cucumber that got stressed and spewed some "super glue". None of these nuked the tank. In the first two instances the tanks were small 25-gallons and in the latter a 160-gallon. I'm not suggesting it can't happen, I'm just saying it isn't always a certainty.

Agreed. It depends on the species. There isn't a standard issue toxicity level when it comes to cucumbers. As I mentioned earlier, some can definitely nuke a tank others won't. Many of the milder varieties are actually eaten by many cultures around the world. However, I do agree that any amount of stress can potentially cause a cucumber to slime.

 

[blaxsun]

Agreed. It depends on the species. There isn't a standard issue toxicity level when it comes to cucumbers. As I mentioned earlier, some can definitely nuke a tank others won't. Many of the milder varieties are actually eaten by many cultures around the world. However, I do agree that any amount of stress can potentially cause a cucumber to slime.

You'll definitely get a kick out of this then (it literally happened 5 min ago!) The little bugger didn't want to let go of either the rock or the snail! Spoiler: the snail won! (no black sea cucumbers were harmed in the making of this video)