In Praise of the Sea Hare

DiverDude · #1 03-08-2010, 08:13 PM

I recently go into this hobby and bought a tank that had a hair algae issue. In moving the tank, I got rid of 90% of the algae but I want it ALL gone ! I've been leaving the lights off a lot and the water chemistry is much better now so I'm on the road to recovery but I was at Red Coral yesterday and found they RENT their Sea Hare.

Yeah.....that's right, they RENT it.

They devour algae but when it's all gone they tend to starve and can release a nasty toxin when they die. So, they rent him out. $30 and you get a $15 livestock credit when you return it -great deal !

This ugly slug-like thing is actually pretty neat to watch and just mows his (her?) way through algae !! At this rate, I'll be algae free in a few days and I'll be returning slug-o to Red Coral so he can visit someone else's tank to dine.

banditpowdercoat · #2 03-08-2010, 09:24 PM

Ya SeaHares do a great job, but eat themselves out of house and home real fast! It's great that they rent him.

Eb0la11 · #3 03-08-2010, 09:53 PM

haha perhaps you rented the same little guy that cleaned up my tank lol.

DiverDude · #4 03-08-2010, 09:55 PM

I don't know about 'little' -this sucker is a good 4" long and I've seen him crane his 'neck' to reacha tuft of algae so he was at least 6" long.

That's a whole lot 'o slug !

ponokareefer · #5 03-08-2010, 09:58 PM

I've got one living in my sump. I have no idea how it got there, or for how long it's been in there. If someone else wants it, they are free to have it so that it doesn't die. I haven't looked for it for a little while, but I spot it occasionally when I'm working in the sump.

imcosmokramer · #6 03-08-2010, 10:50 PM

cool concept
________
WEB SHOWS

DiverDude · #7 03-08-2010, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

I've got one living in my sump. I have no idea how it got there, or for how long it's been in there. If someone else wants it, they are free to have it so that it doesn't die. I haven't looked for it for a little while, but I spot it occasionally when I'm working in the sump.

I'm no expert but I'd venture a guess that if you've had one in your sump for more than a month or so, there's enough algae (or something else) in there for him to survive. If so, then you may as well keep him.

ponokareefer · #8 03-09-2010, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiverDude

I'm no expert but I'd venture a guess that if you've had one in your sump for more than a month or so, there's enough algae (or something else) in there for him to survive. If so, then you may as well keep him.

I'm pretty sure it has taken a liking to my chaeto, so it is being counter-productive at this point.

burtonpj48 · #9 03-12-2010, 10:48 PM

I also rented from red coral, i should have just kept the little monster, hehhehe, I bought a baby blue spotted sea hare, a very small one. It got eaten up by the hitchicker crabs in my tank. I was so mad.

ponokareefer · #10 04-09-2010, 07:15 PM

I was attempting to move the slug out of my quarantine, and it started to squirt, what I think is poop, out. I was wondering if this is normal for these critters or not? I stopped as soon as I realized what it was doing, as I am concerned that it was something lethal it was expelling. Can anyone confirm if this is normal or not? I was trying to be slow and gentle about it, so as not to hurt the slug.