Fish/parasite inside sea cucumber

salt01

Reefing newb
Hey guys just got a sea cucumber from live aquaria and when i acclimated it a little fish looking eel was swimming around it. It was black and had a long tail. Then the weirdest thing happened it swam up its rear end and disappeared inside it. Has anyone ever seen something like this is this a parasite or something? I put it in my aquarium anyways but was wondering if anyone has seen this before?
 
I can't offer you any help but that reads like an X-files script and really made me snicker:D

Nothing like an alien up the rear end ----talk about being violated;)
 
Yeah it was weird to see trust me it was like 2 inches long and it looked like one of those fish you see at the bottom of the ocean when you watch documentaries and nothings on the ocean floor but those swimming around it swam inside the cucumber and i thought uhhhh thats not right. Was that normal and did i just see that
 
Here is what the fish head looked like
 

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This is what it was. looks like a parasite but dont know if its good or bad
Just found some info on that pearlfish.Apparently the sea cucumber tries to stop it entering its anus but as the sea cucumber breathes through its anus it has to open it.The pearlfish then swims in tail first stays there in the day and comes out of the cucumber at night to feed on small inverts.Here is the DOWNSIDE.Whilst it is in the cucumbers cavity it eats away at the gonads and then at other organs so i am presuming this will eventually kill your cucumber which could or would then poison your tank with its toxins and wipe your inhabitants out.Obviously yours has but not all species of cucumber have a pearlfish and some pearlfish use clams and oysters as there host. Glad you brought this to everyones attention as i didnt know about it.:)
 
Is this the same fish that can swim up your pee pee when you take a wee wee in the water or a distant cousin? The one I am thinking about may be freshwater. I would love to hear the guy that does those "true facts about" videos talk about this:D
 
Is this the same fish that can swim up your pee pee when you take a wee wee in the water or a distant cousin? The one I am thinking about may be freshwater. I would love to hear the guy that does those "true facts about" videos talk about this:D
cant remember wot that fish is called but that lives in the amazon so freshwater.it is attracted to ammonia thats in your urine think that burrows into the gills of fish too.
 
Just found some info on that pearlfish.Apparently the sea cucumber tries to stop it entering its anus but as the sea cucumber breathes through its anus it has to open it.The pearlfish then swims in tail first stays there in the day and comes out of the cucumber at night to feed on small inverts.Here is the DOWNSIDE.Whilst it is in the cucumbers cavity it eats away at the gonads and then at other organs so i am presuming this will eventually kill your cucumber which could or would then poison your tank with its toxins and wipe your inhabitants out.Obviously yours has but not all species of cucumber have a pearlfish and some pearlfish use clams and oysters as there host. Glad you brought this to everyones attention as i didnt know about it.:)
ps.this is true i aint breathing through my anus nor am i talking through my anus lol:D
 
I think it depends on what type of pearl fish it is weather it's bad or not.
well it states that the kind that goes in a sea cucumber will eat its organs and gonads.the kind that doesnt do that lives in oysters and certain clams so think SALT01 has gotta keep an eye on this;)
 
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