Help with my sea cucumber

[need4speed]

My sea cucuber has white cotten looking stuff coming out of one end of him and my peperment shrimps are eating at it, whats up with that! Do you think he is sick? and what should I do! I had him about 2 weeks I dont know what end is what! but I think its his tailend that got that white stuff on it and the other end has a hole that open and closes like he is breathing out of. I don't know if these guys shed or not? he is about 3 inch long and about half an inch is this way

 

[daniel411]

I was always under the assumption that what you are refering to is the toxins they release when stressed.

 

[need4speed]

I don't know! It looks like he's coming apart. not just letting something out. And would the shrimp be eating it if it was toxins?

 

[daniel411]

Becautious with your aquarium. Almost a year ago I had all my fish start swimming erratically, hiding, little interest in food. Checked things out, couldn't find anything wrong. Than noticed my "Yellow Sea Cucumber" (as labeled by the lfs), had expelled some of its internals/which are toxic. I removed it from the aquarium and performed a water change. Everything went back to behaving normal.

 

[daniel411]

If he's coming apart. I'd remove him FAST. His internal organs/guts are toxic to fish. I'm not sure if they are toxic to invertebrates such as your shrimp.

 

[need4speed]

Thanks for the info I didn't know any of that! He's not worth me having that kind of trouble with the rest of my tank!

 

[jb1]

sounds exactly like he is explling his internals and they are very toxic as daniel said