Sea Hare

[Kyle46N]

I bought a small one today to hopefully get a small hair algae outbreak under control. The hair algae is growing slowly, so I hope to fix the cause, but in the mean time went with this cool creature. I can't stop watching him. He's black with blue spots. And they sure go to town on that algae. Also, my jaw about dropped when I saw a hole opened up on his back to let sand poop stuff fall out. Kind of freaky looking.

[bexarhunt]

How big is it? I've been wanting one but the one's I see out there I feel are too big for my tank as crowded as it is. I have lots of frags (although mostly glued down) and worry about them getting knocked over. If it is small enough, and get's the job done with your tank, I would be interested in adopting him with a donation of frag or $!

[seamonkey2]

yeah well they grow fairly quickly, specially eating lots of algae, even then life span is about 2-3 yrs, if you are lucky, is better to move them to another tank when they are done cleaning yours, or you can feed it nori, just have to place it under their mouth so they know if food for them :)

and yes they are cool to look at.

Jose

[Kyle46N]

It's about 2 1/2 inches. I know I'll have a decision to make when he eats all the hair algae. Bexarhunt you have pm.

[Kyle46N]

Well, cancel that. After putting the guy on a rock with hair algae the first night, and watching him chow down, here we are 5 days later, and he has not touched any more hair algae. It now prefers to be on the sand bed or the glass. I know he won't survive on the sand bed, because I have a diamond goby that keeps the bed devoid of algae. Apparently there are types of sea hare that won't eat hair algae. We saw plain as day though it clear a 3 inch patch of hair algae the first couple of hours in the tank. And that was it since.

[rz1a]

im trying some zebra striped turbo snails for that, supposedly eat hair algae too but it looks like they like microalgae more

[BigKGlen]

There is algae on the glass and sand that we can't see. He's eating, don't worry about that!

[Kyle46N]

Right I know, but I don't think that will be enough to sustain him in the long run. We'll see.

[OrionN]

Can you pick him up and place him on another patch of algae? I know this is not a good solution but I think it will work and keep him alive.

[phrog]

Or just get him into circulation around the club? ;)

[jc]

I also got one the other day from b and b. I put him up near the hair algae and he ignored it and went down to the sand. Oh well, I guess i'll give him some time. My wife says he looks like a hamster. I agree.

[Kyle46N]

Yeah I try to put him on the hair algae all the time. He leaves pretty quickly.