Sea Hare (Dolabelle Auricularia)

Mish · #1 11/22/2006, 09:08 AM

Hi all,
I was coaxed into buying a sea hare for my red slime out break. Well, it's working, this thing cleans the sand like nothing else, but can these things live in a tank long term? I am also concerened, because his butt is white. All of the pictures I see show sea hares with lighter butts, not white. Is this a bad sign?

greenbean36191 · #2 11/22/2006, 09:24 AM

No, the color of the butt isn't a problem. Yes, these guys can live out their lives in aquariums, but they need a lot of food. At some point you'll probably need to suppliment its diet with macroalgae like Gracilaria or Ulva. Keep in mind though that these guys are fairly short lived animals. They probably only live about 1-2 years in the wild, though they've been kept alive for a bit longer in captivity.

Mish · #3 11/22/2006, 09:40 AM

Thanks, I was affraid that they didn't live long. He's big too, about 3-3.5 inches.

mrobbtx · #4 11/22/2006, 10:15 PM

Hey,
I remember about 10 years ago on vacation to NCs outer banks I caught about 500 of them washing up on the beach, I asked about keeping them to a friend in the area who said he had never kept one for more than a week himself, anybody having better luck with them? BTW as a side note I have some Gracilaria if anybody needs some to feed them, and now you guys have me thinking about getting one myself....Dang You!!! Haha, My hobby is bad enough already.....LOL

greenbean36191 · #5 11/23/2006, 10:53 AM

Well, the ones you caught weren't Dolabella. That's a Pacific species. You were more than likely seeing Aplysia. They seem to form seasonal aggregations, but no one is quite sure why. The animals that gather are all probably on death's door though, so that's probably part of your friend's trouble keeping them. These slugs have been bred in captivity for multiple generations, so it's not something inherently difficult about the animals.

Radicaljbr · #6 12/02/2006, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by greenbean36191
At some point you'll probably need to suppliment its diet with macroalgae like Gracilaria or Ulva.

Where can you buy this macro algea?

I just got my sea hare today and he has pleanty to eat for quite a while I would think. My fuge is also starting to get a ton of HA so I can start him down there as well.

Thanks

Lunchbucket · #7 12/03/2006, 02:06 AM

anyone have a problem w/ thiers seem like it doesn't seem to hold it's self down? i know i have quite a bit of flow but this thing is almost helpless. it looks like it 1/2way holds on...then 10min later i'll come back to check on it adn it will be 1/2way across the tank and up by a tunze like it just floated off. mine messed up or what?

i turned the CL pump off to have 3 less strainers for it to stick to but the tunze stream and turbelle will be on tonight. hope that little tard doesn't get stuck!!!

Lunchbucket

Radicaljbr · #8 12/03/2006, 12:16 PM

I just got mine yesterday and at first he was just barely hanging on like you menionted. He then kind of woke up and very quickly moved himself to the top of my rock and started devouring a ton of hair algea. He then stopped after a couple of hours at eating and started hanging again. He is now kind of falling once in a while to the bottom. He will wake up for a second to hang on by a tip, but he eventually lets go and has to relatch himself. He has now been barely hanging on since late last night. No eating has occured today at all since lights went on 4 hours ago.

Lunchbucket · #9 12/03/2006, 10:10 PM

are they drunk???

Lunchbucket

greenbean36191 · #10 12/03/2006, 10:12 PM

No, they're lagoonal animals thrown into a high flow environment.

Lunchbucket · #11 12/03/2006, 10:17 PM

true true. i hope he holds on well though

Lunchbucket

delsol650 · #12 12/07/2006, 11:33 AM

mine moves around the tank w/out problems.. I have 2 1500 seios blowing on each side... even when he's almost infront of direct flow he has no problem cont. to eat on the rock and hold on... only gotten stuck to PH once.. didn't release dye when I pulled him off... likes supplemented NORI as well.

delsol650 · #13 12/07/2006, 11:35 AM

this is exactly what I have in my tank for 3 months now...

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...lr%3D%26sa%3DN

Ryanqk · #14 12/07/2006, 07:02 PM

ive had mine for about a month now he really takes care of hair algae, some of my corals would have been overgrown if it wasnt for him. I was really worried about the intakes at first but he seems to manage, they are maxijet 900's i recently nudged him off the intake i think he was bothered more by my moving him than the intake, shot purple clounds into the water on the way down. fortunatly the carbon and skimmer took that ink out.

delsol650 · #15 12/08/2006, 01:12 PM

ever since getting stuck on the seio 1500, he has never strayed near it again... huh. I guess they do learn..

Lunchbucket · #16 12/09/2006, 12:39 AM

mine doesn't seem to be eating much algae. i mean i see him like it is working on some bryopsis but i can't tell he is even making a dent. is mine lazy?

Lunchbucket

delsol650 · #17 12/09/2006, 01:31 AM

after working on the caulerpa and HA he is now trying to work on turf...

Radicaljbr · #18 12/09/2006, 11:53 AM

I think I got mine one week ago. Mine has totally eaten a ton of HA. He is really going to town. Where he gets it eaten far enough back, my snails then are taking over.

I also have a Yellow tang and Lawnmower blemmy that are sharing in the fun.

Next up will be my fuge as it has a little down there as well.

I also have heard that they do not eat Caulerpa

Lunchbucket · #19 12/10/2006, 07:03 PM

Radical - man i just got mine one week ago and he seems to do nothing. i see no noticable difference. i too have a YT and a lawnmower blenny. the lawnmower does nothing. i haven't seen it eat anything but bit the glass

Lunchbucket

Radicaljbr · #20 12/10/2006, 07:16 PM

Well, I might have spoke too soon. Mine has been laying back behind a rock on the sand and sort of on its side all day now. I am hoping he is just resting, but I am now getting worried.

Lunchbucket · #21 12/10/2006, 08:15 PM

well if it makes you feel any better mine does that too

delsol650 · #22 12/11/2006, 11:47 AM

Once in a while mine would partially burry its self right beside a rock... don't know why... welps unforutanately after learning from not going near the seio 1500 mine has come to it demise from the 1500. but fear not will be getting one again in the very near future...