Cucumber (Red & Black) - Holothuria edulis - Edible Sea Cucumber

Taxonomy: Cucumber (Red & Black) belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Echinodermata, Class Holothuroidea, Order Aspidichirotida, Family Holothuriidae, Genus Holothuria and Species edulis.

Scientific names: The scientific name of Cucumber (Red & Black) is Holothuria edulis.

Other common names: Cucumber (Red & Black) is also commonly known as Edible Sea Cucumber and Pinkfish.

Origin or natural range: Holothuria edulis is found in the Indo-Pacific region including the Red Sea, Hawaii, the Gulf of Mannar, Fiji and the Andaman Islands.

Size: Cucumber (Red & Black) grows up to a size of around twelve inches or thirty centimeters.

Color: Holothuria edulis occurs in the combinations and the variations of pink, brown, green, red and black colors.

Compatibility: Cucumber (Red & Black) is non-aggressive towards the other marine aquarium invertebrates.

Habit & Habitat:

• In its natural habitat, Holothuria edulis is found in shallow waters and in sand on reef terraces near the shore.
• When stressed, Cucumber (Red & Black) expels its internal organs that are lethally poisonous for fish.
• Holothuria edulis later on regenerates its harmed organs.

Morphology:

• Cucumber (Red & Black) has a long, tubular, soft, thick and muscular body which is blackish dorsally and pinkish ventrally.
• The anterior end of the body of Holothuria edulis is narrow while, its posterior end is blunt.
• The body of Cucumber (Red & Black) is covered with pointed, muscular projections, called as papillae.
• Holothuria edulis thinly coats its body with sand.
• The feet of Cucumber (Red & Black) are tubular to facilitate the locomotion and the cucumber’s clinging to the substrate.

Growth enabling environment in your marine aquarium:

• Temperature of water: Seventy-two to seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit.
• Specific gravity of water: 1.023 to 1.025.
• pH of water: 8.10 to 8.40.
• Illumination: Cucumber (Red & Black) requires light in the marine aquarium hosting it.
• Habit & habitat:
  • To host Holothuria edulis, you should have a large, reef type marine aquarium with thick sandy bottom.
  • Provide ample roaming space to Cucumber (Red & Black) in your marine aquarium.
  • Twenty gallons of water per three inches long Holothuria edulis is ideal.
  • Keep Cucumber (Red & Black) with non-aggressive tank members.
  • In a marine aquarium, Holothuria edulis is generally unable to regenerate its damaged organs.
• Feeding & Nutrition:
  • Cucumber (Red & Black) is Omnivorous or Detrivorous in feeding habit as it consumes algae and detritus present in the sand.
  • Holothuria edulis eats sand and digests the organic food material present in it, excreting the clean, pellet shaped sand.
• Breeding: Cucumber (Red & Black) does not breed in a marine aquarium.
• Benefits:
  • Holothuria edulis eats the micro-organisms and detritus present in the sand, thereby cleaning the sand of your marine aquarium.
  • In the search of food, Holothuria edulis ploughs the sand of your reef tank, thus aerating it.

Care:

• Holothuria edulis is difficult to maintain.
• High Nitrates and copper levels in the water are detrimental to the health of Cucumber (Red & Black).

Caution:

• Holothuria edulis is poisonous in nature and therefore, should be handled and maintained by expert aquarists only.
• If threatened or stressed, Cucumber (Red & Black) expels its internal organs that are poisonous and lethal for the fish in your marine aquarium.
• Cucumber (Red & Black) expels poisonous membranes even if it dies. In case the cucumber dies in your marine aquarium, change the tank water several times. Tie some carbon in a mesh and place it near the aquarium filter to eliminate even the traces of poison.

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