Tip of the Day – 4/6/2012

Sea cucumbers can make an interesting addition to any reef aquarium, and given the many species readily available to hobbyists, they can also be quite useful. Some cucumbers serve as sand sifters, while other species are filter feeders. Regardless of which species you go with, it’s important to understand the needs of your cucumber and determine the best way to keep them fed and thriving. If a cucumber takes a turn south, health wise, the ramifications could be life threatening to the rest of your aquarium livestock. Besides keeping them well fed, it’s also important to prevent in-tank accidents through run ins with powerheads and other devices. Powerheads can chop a wandering cucumber to bits, causing them to die and expel their toxic guts into the water, where they will decay and cause all sorts of damage.