Sea Cucumber Sea cucumbers, echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea, are very common in marine reef aquaria as they are prized for their unusual behaviour and appearance. Found on the sea floor worldwide, they have leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad, and they grow typically 10 to 30 centimetres (3.9 to 12 in) long. In the hobby, the sea cucumber consumes detritus that accumulates on the substrate (such as aragonite or sand). Sea cucumbers can live without feeding for months, often up to half a year. If an aquarium system cannot support these creatures, the sea cucumber will shrink gradually as it digests its own body mass to survive, while starving. It would... Read more»
