Pink Sea Cucumber (Holothuria edulis)
Pink Sea Cucumber (Holothuria edulis)
Holothuria edulis wears its ID right on its skin — a pink upper surface fading to black underneath, an easy way to tell it apart from the uniformly dark H. atra it often sits next to in the tank. It processes sand the same way most sifting cucumbers do, working through substrate to strip out detritus and leave cleaner sand behind, and it’s just as capable of releasing sticky Cuvierian tubules or harmful compounds if it’s badly stressed or dies unnoticed. Keep it away from pump intakes and let it work the sand bed at its own unhurried pace.
Care level: Easy · Temperament: Peaceful · Max size: ~10" · Min tank: 40 gal, mature · Reef safe: Yes · Diet: Detritivore, sifts sand
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Holothuria edulis
- Common name
- Pink Sea Cucumber
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Care level
- Easy
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Max size
- ~10"
- Minimum tank
- 40 gal
- Diet
- Detritivore, sifts sand
- Reef safe
- Yes
When it ships
Most non-quarantined stock goes out the week you order. If we do not already have the animal in-house we source it first — allow up to two weeks for it to reach us. Live animals leave Monday and Tuesday, and Early AM Overnight is the only service that carries a live arrival guarantee.
The live guarantee
Shipped Early AM Overnight: a 1-hour DOA window from confirmed delivery, and nothing beyond it. Next Day Air and 2-Day carry no live arrival guarantee, and neither does USPS Priority. Local pickup or local delivery: 24 hours, if you bring a water sample from your aquarium and we test it before the animal goes home. Maintenance clients: 60 days when we service the aquarium at least twice a month, 28 days on a monthly plan.
Expert guidance
Have a question about this piece?
Cameron draws on 25+ years in the hobby and a marine biology background to help you choose the right fit for your system.