Yellow cucumber
The striking Yellow Sea Cucumber, originating from the Indian Ocean, is bright yellow in color with an elongated body covered in spikey projections. During feeding, it extends its branchy feeding arms into the current, making it an excellent addition to an established reef aquarium as a beautiful filter feeder. To sustain their health, Yellow Sea Cucumbers require live rock and a location with moderate to strong current. They are filter-feeding cucumbers, similar in nature to the Sea Apple, and may even spawn and reproduce by dividing into two individuals under ideal conditions. Their diet should consist of liquid or dried phyto and zoo plankton, and regular stirring of the substrate will release bacteria and detritus into the water, which benefits their feeding. When malnourished, they will shrink in size and may lose feeding arms, indicating the need for an increase in feeding frequency and targeted feeding with appropriate food. As with other Sea Cucumbers, Colochirus robustus has the potential to poison an aquarium, but the chances of this happening are rare, except when accidentally sucked into an uncovered pump intake or overflow box. Proper acclimation and housing with suitable inhabitants are critical, and the drip-acclimation method is recommended to minimize exposure to fluctuating water parameters.