sea hare care

willie

willie

Member
My dolabela sea hare, Jaba, is one of our favorite tank friends. He is a gentle giant that keeps my reef free of hair algae. We got him 4 months ago when we had a massive gha outbreak that turned our reef into a salad bar.
We got the sea hare when nothing else would work to get rid of the algae. We tried rinsing the frozen food, water changes, beefing up the clean up crew, changing lights, cutting the lights, tons of water tests, got a tang and a lawnmower blenny, NOTHING WORKED!
Everyone told us don't buy a sea hare because they will run out of algae and die and when they die they will nuke tank.

We got one anyway! Within 1 week he took our tank from looking disgusting to this

No Gha, just like that! The dude was named employee of the month, I would give him a special parking spot but...
After he ate all the gha, he still had a pretty strong appetite and that is where the care comes in. You will need to feed the hare every other day. I use a magnet veggie clip and a piece of nori seaweed. Nori can be picked up in the asian section of the grocery store and you will get a bunch of it for $3. We cut each sheet into 3 strips and then clip it and put it on the bottom of the tank. My tang and the cuc love the nori also. Every night at 9ish he wakes up from his favorite spot under the reef and comes out to find some food. He is super fun to watch and has a lot of personality for a giant slug
 
willie

willie

Member
You don't need to be afraid to keep these wonderful critters just as long as you don't mind feeding them.

they will also keep the rest of the reef clear of algae because after the initial feast, it does come back but if you still have your hare he will keep mowing it down for you. The sea hare is a great alternative to chemicals.


 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
My seahare died, it only ate the red macros then it starved. They are not all that easy to care for...IMO
 
willie

willie

Member
I think it greatly depends on the type of sea hare also, the blue dot is a very cool looking sea hare but has a completely different diet and care requirements. This info only pertains to the dolabela sea hare and I made it because there isn't a lot of info out there on how to care for them. Most people were telling me not to get one or to pass it off after it cleaned my reef.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I have one like yours willie....the dolabela....it is a monster...LOL....did a great job on my algae, and I am hoping there is enough food for it in the 225G......I have never seen it go near the algae sheets tho.....I can not imagine the tangs would allow it....LOL
I do keep an eye on it...and if it starts to look any smaller.....I can move it into my 54G for a few days....I have a couple of patches of algae in there it could munch on....BUT SO FAR it seems to be doing well
 
willie

willie

Member
Mine wouldn't touch the marine cuisine garlic infused stinky ones that are sold at the lfs/*****. But the nori from the grocery store is eaten with a big smile. The tang won't let anyone else near it but for some reason he likes the sea hare and just stares at him with curiosity. Its fun to watch
 
willie

willie

Member
it will be in the Asian section by the soy sauce and ginger extract and whatnot, it is used to wrap sushi, you could probably also buy it from an Asian restaurant. My sea hare and tang pretty much live off of it but the hermits and snails along with some of the fish love to grab what ever falls off.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
do the right thing and grow hair algae on a scrubber screen and feed it. You can feed your tank regularly, have plenty of algae to feed and clean stable water parameters, plus, you generate your own, healthier more nutritious food instead of buying some premade dried algae at the store.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/391240/sea-hare-care#post_3468691
do the right thing and grow hair algae on a scrubber screen and feed it. You can feed your tank regularly, have plenty of algae to feed and clean stable water parameters, plus, you generate your own, healthier more nutritious food instead of buying some premade dried algae at the store.
I live in mortal fear of hair algae, and you people want it in your tank on purpose to fed the ugliest critter God put on Earth. I don't want to hear anything from any of you the next time I say that bubble algae looks pretty to me....LOL
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/391240/sea-hare-care#post_3468701
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/391240/sea-hare-care#post_3468691
do the right thing and grow hair algae on a scrubber screen and feed it. You can feed your tank regularly, have plenty of algae to feed and clean stable water parameters, plus, you generate your own, healthier more nutritious food instead of buying some premade dried algae at the store.
I live in mortal fear of hair algae, and you people want it in your tank on purpose to fed the ugliest critter God put on Earth. I don't want to hear anything from any of you the next time I say that bubble algae looks pretty to me....LOL
LOL....I don't want anything to do with HA Flower......or bubble algae.....BELIEVE ME.....I still have bubble algae in the 54G :(
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
LOL...I was talking mostly to Snake and Willie....growing HA on a scrubber and then suggest to deliberately put it in the tank....to feed the most fugly critter on Earth. Then here is Willie, going to the grocery store to get green crude to pollute his tank on purpose. Then telling folks to do the same so thay can keep an ugly in their tank.
We SW fish keepers are pretty crazy anyway, and I know Snake has his new baby and not getting proper sleep...but that's a new level nuts...IMO, In a ribbing kidding kind of way...I come in peace...see my smile...

I still think bubble algae is pretty....LOL
 
willie

willie

Member
I though he was pretty gnarly at first but now I love the little dude, he is adorable, I will try to get a good face shot on my sea hare, he has the happiest face ever, zen as a Hindu cow.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by willie http:///t/391240/sea-hare-care#post_3468829
I though he was pretty gnarly at first but now I love the little dude, he is adorable, I will try to get a good face shot on my sea hare, he has the happiest face ever, zen as a Hindu cow.
Their face actually looks like a butt.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member

Quote: Originally Posted by willie http:///t/391240/sea-hare-care#post_3468829


I though he was pretty gnarly at first but now I love the little dude, he is adorable, I will try to get a good face shot on my sea hare, he has the happiest face ever, zen as a Hindu cow.

Their face actually looks like a butt.
No wonder "Willie" likes em'.
 
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