Sea Hares

[hamdogg08]

I was in FL pets yesterday, and asked about something to eat the algae in my tank that was dead and on the bottom, but couldn't be siphoned out because it's too heavy, or grabbed by my fingers because it's also too small.

She suggested that I get a Sea Hare.

I passed on the offer because my concerns were:
-It would starve in a 20H tank
-It's not a detrovore

My questions are:
-How big of a tank do you need for a sea hare not to starve?
-What do Sea Hares eat?

[Sizzlersonthebrain]

sea hair cleaned out my heavy overgrown 40 in a week.

most of the stores downhere do full credit trade back on live ones, that and we pass them around with other reefers.

[hamdogg08]

Maybe I'll look into getting one. I think I figured out the algae plague, but still have a bunch of residual stuff, but I'd rather not sit around and wait for it all to die off.

Do they eat detritus at all?

The worker said "they'll eat about anything including the stuff on the bottom!"...Then looked confused when I mentioned having phosphate problems in my tank.

[hypoxia]

Am I the only person who thinks these creatures are absolutely adorable?

[KPAX]

Are any of the LFS carrying any of these and how much do they go for typically?

[smeese]

They are very cool.
Am I the only person who thinks these creatures are absolutely adorable?

[hamdogg08]

Am I the only person who thinks these creatures are absolutely adorable?

Considering my girlfriend exclaimed "OH MY GOD gross! what is that thing?!?!?" I'd say yes:popworm:

[hamdogg08]

Are any of the LFS carrying any of these and how much do they go for typically?

Forest Lake Pets has them for 20 if I remember right. They had at least two when I was there.

[hypoxia]

SWE has at least two in stock (I was there today).

[REEFSTOCK]

There is a species on the market, slightly greener than the ones we called Bali Sea Monsters a few years back, all the wholesalers are calling Sea Bunnies (vs sea Hair). These new ones are supposedly supposed to stay small. Since we have only been bringing them in for 3 months I have no way to confirm that claim. They do the same great hair algae job though.

I figure each inch of bunny is about 10 astrea worth of grazing power (I just made that up :beerchug:)
a 20 with lots of rock or other surface area might be sustainable with no other algae eating snails, but its pushing it for sure. Be ready to move it after it does the job.

[hamdogg08]

Awesome! Looks like I'll be trying to get down to pick one up, and I'm sure some form of an impulse buy as well!:goldfish:

[epidemic]

They work REALLY well, but dont expect to be able to keep it alive for too long without a TON of algae. They work great for using and then finding someone else who needs it. Ihad one in my 125 that ate every bit of algae in about a week. I also had one in my 3'x3' frag tank, and it was clean in about a week as well. When they are unhealthy they start to shrink, that is a bad sign. If they die they can foul your water, so keep an eye on it once you algae starts to dissapear

[blennieluvr]

Could you put it in your sump after it goes to town on the display? There's a lot to munch on there!

[hamdogg08]

I'm going to try picking one up this week sometime. Does anyone want to get in line after I'm done with it? I'll more than likely just donate this guy to the club when I'm done with it and we can pass it around.

Post If You Think You Could Use It.

[David Grigor]

While it may be a good idea, I doubt it's going to make it long enough to pass around. Just the logistics of getting from one person to the next it will likely end up starving in someones tank waiting for the next guy ( who says he will come get it but ends up turning into weeks ) or will get sucked up in someone's propeller driven pump.

If your already seeing positive signs of algae receeding I'd just wait it out. A little 10g just isn't going to sustain one for very long.

[hamdogg08]

Looking at some of the webpages, they're listed as expert. Is that just because they eat everything and anything in the tank, or is there some other threat to their survival that I should be aware of?

[hypertech]

Its because they can nuke the tank when they die. They almost always die from lack of food or going through the powerhead.

Its like a lettuce nudi that's packed full of poison.

They are cool looking critters though. The ones that came in on the etropicals order were very small whereas the ones from blue zoo where very large. I bet one of the little ones would be OK for a little while until you find it a new home.

[REEFSTOCK]

I don't recall bunnies nuking anything.

They are soft... flesh and you certianly want to clear anything out of your tank that dies... but I don't think they are anything like... oh say a sea apple...

[tico mike]

I don't recall bunnies nuking anything.

They are soft... flesh and you certianly want to clear anything out of your tank that dies... but I don't think they are anything like... oh say a sea apple...

I've lost two and never had a problem with anything else being effected. One I never even found. I also had one that lived forever that Fritz ended up with a couple years ago.

[REEFSTOCK]

and that lasted sometime till I had to break down the tanks and sell it off.:cry: