Sea hares for algae control

[sfin52]

thats the reason ive always been afraid to get one

I didn't loose a thing

 

[Damon Jensen]

Nor did I, 0 issues when the one died.

 

[sfin52]

I believe they can be toxic, but like sea slugs it is more about the stress...and carbon

I'm not so sure. I had one ink in my tank. Nothing got upset and I didn't loose a thing. I wasnt able to find a thing saying it was toxic. I did read its like a octopus inking. Tasts and smells bad

 

[Damon Jensen]

Wow, the ink is pretty is interesting and you are correct non toxic

 

[Bbfishb81]

They are fantastic algae eaters, especially GHA. I had one, named him Jabba, thought it fit, and I'm a bit of a nerd.

 

[najer]

I have one on order and 4 areas to move it around as required.

 

[GabeM]

Mine got eaten by my elegance coral just a word of caution. I should have seen it coming...

 

[ESH]

They will bury themselves, I can go weeks without seeing mine. When the one died, it was found quickly

ive a bare bottom tank. I suspect it’s hiding in or under a rock, unless something ate her.

 

[steallife904]

i have had one before. they are the best GHA eaters but it is pretty much all they eat. Once its gone they will starve (at least for some species). The one i had got traded around my local reef club for a long time helping us out with algae outbreaks .

 

[sfin52]

i have had one before. they are the best GHA eaters but it is pretty much all they eat. Once its gone they will starve (at least for some species). The one i had got traded around my local reef club for a long time helping us out with algae outbreaks .

They will eat macro as well

 

[TheOne]

Mine was awesome right up until it stuck its head into my gyre 350. Even on my 6' tank he made hot laps around it everyday. Just be careful if you have them with powerheads I guess. I run carbon and didn't notice any ill effects on the rest of my tank after I found him. R.I.P. shrek.....

 

[Jesterrace]

Could you keep one alive in the sump with chaeto in between algae outbreaks?

Not really, they are algae vacuums and their feeding habits are similar to a Mandarinfish and Pods.

 

[T-J]

Resurrecting this thread: I'm looking at getting one for my tank. I have hermit crabs. Any issues with the crabs and the Hare?
Also, I've read that they can be fed Nori if they've completely cleared a tank of algae. Any experience with that?

 

[MCatano]

what type of algae do they eat? do they touch hair algae?

They love hair algae

 

[sfin52]

Resurrecting this thread: I'm looking at getting one for my tank. I have hermit crabs. Any issues with the crabs and the Hare?
Also, I've read that they can be fed Nori if they've completely cleared a tank of algae. Any experience with that?

Nope. Have loads of hermits even had a Halloween hermit all good. Nothing g bothered the hare

 

[Mr_Knightley]

Resurrecting this thread: I'm looking at getting one for my tank. I have hermit crabs. Any issues with the crabs and the Hare?
Also, I've read that they can be fed Nori if they've completely cleared a tank of algae. Any experience with that?

I have a pair of them in my 220g tank, and none of my hermits mess with them at all., so you should be good! I must say sea hares have to be some of the absolute best algae eaters known to the hobby, no exaggeration.

Good day and God bless you!

 

[TrishK]

We call ours fatty...lol...everytime we see him he seems to have doubled in size. In this picture he looks like a pickle with a pig head. He gets lazy sometimes and will eat all the algae sheets I put out for the tang and lawnmower blenny....pretty sure he scared sh*tless of him as he’ll hide in his shell and peek out and watches him eat his food ...anyone else he chases away lol

Here’s another pic of him cleaning up the rocks. He only comes out at night but occasionally early morning I’ll find him chowing on the algae sheets, like he didn’t get enough to eat all night lol

 

[forestsofkelp]

Will they eat hair algae when it's long? Or does it have to be trimmed short like for snails/crabs?