Tigertail sea cucumber

Care at a glance

The tigertail sea cucumber is brown with pale blotches and moves slowly over and through the sand bed. With the tentacles around its mouth it scoops sand inside, digests the life out of it and leaves clean grains behind.

In this way it keeps the top layer of sand loose and clean, which prevents detritus from building up. Make sure it cannot get into a pump intake: when badly damaged, sea cucumbers can release substances that foul the water, so screen your intakes.

Good to know

• Active at night
• Digger — needs fine sand

Related species

• Cushion starCulcita novaeguineae
• Sea applePseudocolochirus violaceus
• Doughboy starfishChoriaster granulatus
• Sea hareDolabella auricularia
• Luzon starfishEchinaster luzonicus
• Tiger cowrieCypraea tigris