What do sea cucumbers eat?

Zbeckabee

Holothuroidea are generally scavengers, feeding on debris in the benthic zone of the ocean. Exceptions include pelagic cucumbers and the species Rynkatropa pawsoni, which has a commensal relationship with deep-sea anglerfish. The diet of most cucumbers consists of plankton and decaying organic matter found in the sea. Some sea cucumbers position themselves in currents and catch food that flows by with their open tentacles. They also sift through the bottom sediments using their tentacles. A pharynx lies behind the mouth and is surrounded by a ring of ten calcareous plates. In most sea cucumbers, this is the only substantial part of the skeleton, and it forms the point of attachment for muscles that can retract the tentacles into the body for safety as for the main muscles of the body wall. Many species possess an oesophagus and stomach, but in some the pharynx opens directly into the intestine. The intestine is typically long and coiled, and loops through the body three times before terminating in a cloacal chamber, or directly as the anus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumbers#Diet_and_digestive_system http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sea-cucumber.htm Jun 24 10, 9:31 PM

fado72

Sea cucumbers eat algae, plankton, bacteria, and waste particles. http://animals.jrank.org/pages/1632/Sea_Cucumbers_Holothuroidea.html Sep 11 10, 4:10 PM