Author Topic: Sea Cucumber Hitch Hicker (Read 6524 times)

philman · « **on:** June 19, 2006, 08:51:58 »

OK, here are the details, I have this hitch hiker Cucumber, photo below. In reading about them, there are lots of differing opinions. I have a Sailfin, clown, 6 line wrasse, lawnmower Goby, lots of hermit crabs, lots of snails, one skunk shrimp.

Should I keep this cucumber or not, he is at least 4 inches long in my 70 gallon tank.

At what point do I need to worry about rock getting toppled?

Both of my internal pumps are Sio and I can't imagine that him getting sucked into that is an issue, but is it?

If I need to remove him, is that safe to do?

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micki · « **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2006, 09:02:50 »

Ive had 2 of those in my 125 for about 1 year now. I've had no problems at all. I have sugarfine aragopnite sand. they do a nice job of cleaning it.

Slicktrax · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2006, 09:06:50 »

i have two cucumbers in my tank. they are both active in eating sand. i have never noticed them moving more than the top grains of sand into their mouths. its never enough sand to cause a rock slide. i have seen them work there way up the side of the tank, but very rarely. i would say leave it in.

micki · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2006, 09:10:12 »

Mine actually goes up the side of the tank quite often.

micki · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2006, 09:16:24 »

Here are some pictures that were taken this morning before the lights came on. I've never seen the cleaner do this before today:

Slicktrax · « **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2006, 10:03:19 »

neat pics. i have seen my "cleaner" blue legs on my cucumbers before.

Hunter21 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2006, 12:45:42 »

whoa, that thing is huge!

lol

Reefinmike · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2006, 12:56:22 »

are you serious... you stole my cowrie and my cucumber on that rock?

i had that guy for about a year and only saw him twice. onnce when i put him in the tank, and once when my tank busted.

philman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2006, 16:18:54 »

There no way that big ass thing fit on that rock!!!!! I suppose I could give him back, not sure I could ever catch him though.

Hunter21 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2006, 16:22:31 »

LOL!!

micki · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2006, 21:36:26 »

They are slow moving. Very easy to catch. They land some place when the lights come on and stay there all day.

micki · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2006, 21:37:19 »

Quote from: Slicktrax on June 19, 2006, 10:03:19

neat pics. i have seen my "cleaner" blue legs on my cucumbers before.

Thanks Rick, they are kind of fun to watch. Mine actually seem fairly active.

Erin he is curled up a bit. When he's stretched out he is really long!

Hunter21 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2006, 21:42:35 »

how much does those cost? how long do you think he is right now?

micki · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2006, 21:46:23 »

I don't remember how much I paid for them now. I got them about a year ago at Gerbers. I was told they were tiger tail cukes, but I have since seen other tigers and they look nothing like mine. One of mine is a bit longer than the other, but I would say the longest is about 7-8 inches when stretched out. The other is probably about 6 or so inches. They have grown like crazy since I got them.

Hunter21 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:04:22 »

wow!!!

that's huge! maybe I can get one for my 55 when I set it up!

micki · « **Reply #15 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:06:34 »

Ther are pretty cool to watch. 1 in a 55 should be plenty.

philman · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:07:08 »

If you read enough articles, there is a bad side to them, I thinks it pretty rare, but they can kill your whole tank, maybe. I'm pretty confidant after getting a bunch of input that this is rare. But I'm not sure I would go out of my way to have one in the tank.

Hunter21 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:08:35 »

really? do they just end up eating your corals and stuff?

micki · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:10:31 »

Quote from: philman on June 19, 2006, 22:07:08

If you read enough articles, there is a bad side to them, I thinks it pretty rare, but they can kill your whole tank, maybe. I'm pretty confidant after getting a bunch of input that this is rare. But I'm not sure I would go out of my way to have one in the tank.

Tiger tails have the least chance of that happening. The kind I have are suppose dto have even less chance. As I said, I've had them for about a year now and no problems.

micki · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:11:15 »

Quote from: Hunter21 on June 19, 2006, 22:08:35

really? do they just end up eating your corals and stuff?

This tells a little about the tiger tails:

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=712&N=0

philman · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:20:14 »

From what I have read (and I am certainly not the expert here), but there are 6000 possible species. Very hard to definitely name a specific one. But the worst case scenario is that they get spooked enough that they release a toxic and can, I say can kill everything in the tank, many articles refer to it as a "Cuke Nuke"

Now, having said that, there are a number of articles that debate that there is any real danger at all, except in the most unusual circumstances.

As I say, if I was buying one someone told me it had the slight, slight, slight ability to kill my whole tank, I'm not sure I'd slap the money down too quickly.

Hunter21 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:26:55 »

interesting link. is there any poison in their spines?

Slicktrax · « **Reply #22 on:** June 19, 2006, 22:31:41 »

mine are from tampa bay saltwater. they have been in the tank over two years without a problem (knock on wood). they do a great job cleaning the top of the sand.

Reefinmike · « **Reply #23 on:** June 20, 2006, 14:02:03 »

they cost $15 at gerbers, $5.99 at aquariums etc. thats mine, i can tell by his coloration. if you stress him when you touch him, he will shoot sticky stuff at you which can be a pain to get off your hand.. lol

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Author Topic: Sea Cucumber Hitch Hicker (Read 6524 times)

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