Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber
Holothuria hilla
Also known as Tigertail Sea Cucumber, Tiger Tail Cucumber, Holothuria hilla
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F (22–26°C)
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 17.7 in (45 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 50 gal (190 L)
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe with caution
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific reefs and lagoons, living in and on sandy substrate among rock
- Family
- Holothuriidae
Overview
A peaceful, slow-moving sand cleaner that is hardy in the right setup but rated difficult because of two risks: it can starve in a tank without enough detritus, and it can release toxins that poison the whole tank if it dies or gets shredded. Screen pump and overflow intakes so it cannot be sucked in. Keep one in a large, stable, well-fed system.
In the wild
A sand-bed detritivore that anchors the back half of its body inside a rocky crevice and extends its front half out over the substrate to sift food. It needs a large, mature system with a deep sand bed and rocky caves for shelter. It processes decomposing organic matter, diatoms, and microfauna from the sand, so it depends on an established tank with real detritus to eat.
Good to know
Holothuria hilla is a sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae, feeding by mopping detritus and microorganisms off the sand with sticky oral tentacles and passing it through its gut, which helps keep the sand bed clean and oxygenated. Like other holothurians it can expel toxic saponins (holothurin) when badly stressed, injured, or killed, which can wipe out a closed system. It is very sensitive to copper-based medications and elevated nitrate.
Did you know
If badly stressed or killed it can release the toxin holothurin into the water, which is potent enough to crash an entire closed aquarium, so a dying cucumber is treated as a tank emergency.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- LiveAquaria Freshwater and saltwater fish, inverts and corals
- Saltwaterfish.com Marine fish, corals and inverts shipped overnight
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Keeping Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber?
Track water tests, reminders and stocking fit.
Related species
Sand-Sifting Sea Cucumber
Holothuria floridana7.1 in (18 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Blue Linckia Star
Linckia laevigata11.8 in (30 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Chocolate Chip Star
Protoreaster nodosus11.8 in (30 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Red Knob Sea Star
Protoreaster linckii11.8 in (30 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Wedge Sea Hare
Dolabella auricularia11.8 in (30 cm)50 gal (190 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Long-Spine Urchin
Diadema setosum9.8 in (25 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)