A good hair algae eater

clarkiiclo

clarkiiclo

Active Member
In my 75 gallon reef I have had a serious problem with hair algae. I have tried everything. We have 2 blennies that are soo fat and happy. No luck. Emerald crabs- cute but not too effective either. Nudibranchs- very cool but they dont eat enough either......
My good LFS(should have seen all the great acros!!) had a HUGE seahare today.
I asked if he was reef safe and he was so he(or she) came home with us.
Within just a few minutes he was workin on a rock. I AM FREAKIN AMAZED. The rock he was on the back side is CLEAN. Yes clean no algae where he was.
I will get pictures tomorrow! I hope he is as cool as I think he is....
The species of seahare we have is a Dolabella auricularia
He is about 5" long. Update tomorrow!!
 
spicey

spicey

Member
Very cool! i had some success with the sailfin tang :happy: but the most important thing to do is to get rid of the disolved organics feeding the algea like nitrate and phosphate with a skimmer or i had alot of succes wiht a refugium with mangroves and chaeto. if u dont get rid of the nutrients, they are never going to go away since the hare just eats the algea and puts the nutrients back in the water with his waste; making the problem worse. also, use ro/di water since your tap water has these nutrients in it.
 
woodymdt

woodymdt

Member
We introduced a lawnmower blenny to our tank yesterday, and he's already cleaned 1/2 of the back glass which had quite a bit of algae on it.
We have lowered our lighting time, and will be getting a phosphate test kit hopefully this week.
But wanted to give praise to the lawnmower blenny...he's done a great job as well. We named him, affectionately" Murray!!
:jumping:
 
clarkiiclo

clarkiiclo

Active Member
That is the name of my LMB!!! The black sailfin is Toro.

I have the trites/trates/phospate under control. There isnt any.
I only use RO water. The problem is I just didnt get it under control in time.
My nano is great- no nuisance algaes at all.
I tried the macros but since I dont have a real fuge or sump I had a hang in the tank filter. My tang and blennies managed to eat it all.
I will keep everyone updated on the progess of Bella...
 
crazy4reefs

crazy4reefs

Member
i had noticed that i had some hair algae growing in my tank, it was left over from a outbreak when i first started the tank. my lfs had a sea hare and i brought him home and he cleaned my tank spotless within about 3 weeks. then i returned him to my lfs because i didnt want him to starve. i had read some where that they can release some kind of ink into the tank if startled but i never had a problem. i was really carefull with him when i took him out of my tank.. good luck, i think they are an awesome creature !
 
big boy69

big boy69

Member
Sea Hares are great!
I could watch mine for hours and they do the best job i seen so far especially when he's on the glass.
 
rayray2857

rayray2857

Member
I was just wondering how big of a tank do you need to have a sea hare, and do they really put ink into the water. Also on average how much do they cost.
Thanks,Kyle :happyfish :) :happyfish
 
big boy69

big boy69

Member
"and do they really put ink into the water"
Never heard of them doing that?
Mine is about 4 inches in length when he's moving and i have him in a 58 gal tank.
I'm planning on getting another one soon.
I can get them for around $15 at my LFS.
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member

Originally posted by RAYRAY2857
do they really put ink into the water. :happyfish :) :happyfish
I have read this too..it's why I have'nt tried one.It's supposed to be a purple ink they expel when threatened..and it's toxic to the tank inhabitants.I also spoke to someone about this,and they said after several months they don't have this ability anymore..that it is present because of what they eat in the ocean.Not sure about that:thinking:
 
T

thomas712

Guest

Originally posted by big Boy69
I can get them for around $15 at my LFS.
Prove it and send me one. :D j/k
They are kinda ugly and strange looking, I'm not going to add the pics, I'll wait for Clarkiiclo to do that. Until then straight from the slug place a c&p below for those who want to know more.
Dolabella auricularia
(Lightfoot, 1786)
Order: ANASPIDEA
Superfamily: APLYSIOIDEA
Family: Aplysiidae
Dolabella auricularia is a Sea Hare with a rather different shape than species of Aplysia. In Dolabella the back, or posterior end of the body is a sloping disc-like shield, with papillae around the edge and one large exhalant siphon in the middle. Buried in the tissue of this "back shield" is a large flattened, quite heavily calcified shell. In the midline, in front of the shield is a smaller groove which houses the inhalant siphon which draws water in to the almost totally enclosed mantle cavity.
Dolabella is quite variable in colour but it is always mottled shades of green and brown which make it extremely well camouflaged in nature. It is normally found in sheltered bays or lagoons, in grass beds or on sand or mud. It can also be found in large intertidal rockpools. Sometimes the only way you know it around is when you stand on it and it releases the tell-tale reddish purple aplysiid "ink". It feeds on a variety of brown green and red macroalgae and Pennings et al (1993) suggest that Dolabella actively maintains a mixed diet in preference to feeding on a single species of algae.
Kinda kewl huh.
 
big boy69

big boy69

Member
Thomas712, sorry they're $18 at the LFS.
I would post the link but it may get taken down.
Post your e-mail and i'll send you the link and you can mail order from them.
They are so great to watch. Sometimes when i'm looking for him and can't find him he's right in front of my face.
I've already touched mine to see what it feels like and he feels silky, but he didn't ink. So maybe after so long they can no longer do it living in a tank?
 
clarkiiclo

clarkiiclo

Active Member
I paid 15 for mine. Yes they can release ink but I dont think Im gonna try to get him too.
I will get pictures tonight.
I got up a few times last night to see where he was. This morning he is way on the other side of the tank in a patch of algae.
Im not worried about him starving- I will feed him seaweed when he runs out of hair.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Really interested in hearing more about these guys. Seems like they are the "new critter" at local LFS. Hadn't seen them before and suddenly a bunch are carrying them. Would be interested to know if they would take to addition of algae sheets or if they are doomed in the tanks. Wouldn't want to have a dead one of those in my tank.... :nervous:
 
spicey

spicey

Member
i heard someone say he lost his whole tank when his sea hare got caught in a power head and inked all over. having a few powerheads myself, i opted not to buy one. i guess just use caution with these guys
 
mudplayerx

mudplayerx

Active Member
Tips for eliminating algae:
-Install a good protein skimmer. Using a wet/dry filter or carbon power filter will trap detritous, but the water continues to flow over the media, thus allowing the detritous to break down and re-enter the aquarium water.
-Check carbon dioxide. Algae needs it to grow. With good water flow this won't be a problem. A good test is get 1/2 a gallon of tank water and aerate it vigorously for 24 hours. Test the ph of the 1/2 gallon and the ph of the tank. If the ph in the 1/2 gallon is lower than the tank by 0.2 or more, then you need more water movement in your tank.
-Clean the filter system regularily. Also do weekly siponing of the substrate. You can use a turkey baster to dislodge detritous stuck in your liverock.
-Add herbivores. Many species of marine life feed on algae. Some of these are: tangs, anglefish, some blennies, rabbitfishes, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and many kinds of snails.
-Don't use baserock. Microalgae very easily outcompetes macroalgae on base rock, and can spread.
-Use phosphate (phos-guard) absorbing media in the filter and change it regularily.
 
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