Sea Hare seems dead PLEASE HELP!

Frenchie2 · #1 04-01-2010, 04:58 AM

I got a Sea Hare last week to get rid of HA and it has done most of the places that needed to be "mowed" except for one area. Tonight I'm looking in the tank (90g) and I see the sea hare a bit shrunk and kinda of "floating" near a coral (devil's hand - I saw the sea hare last night on this coral seeming like sucking on it...). I poked it here and there and it is definitely not reacting to anything... I'm worried about the tank as I read a few "horror" stories about sea hare dying in a tank that can completely wipe your tank... I took it out and put in a container and it still not doing anything... What should I do?? Should I run any carbon in the sump? PLEASE ADVISE ANYONE ASAP!!!!

naesco · #2 04-01-2010, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frenchie2

I got a Sea Hare last week to get rid of HA and it has done most of the places that needed to be "mowed" except for one area. Tonight I'm looking in the tank (90g) and I see the sea hare a bit shrunk and kinda of "floating" near a coral (devil's hand - I saw the sea hare last night on this coral seeming like sucking on it...). I poked it here and there and it is definitely not reacting to anything... I'm worried about the tank as I read a few "horror" stories about sea hare dying in a tank that can completely wipe your tank... I took it out and put in a container and it still not doing anything... What should I do?? Should I run any carbon in the sump? PLEASE ADVISE ANYONE ASAP!!!!

It is likely that your sea hare starved to death.

Place the sea hare in a plastic ice cream container or something similar and float it in your tank. Throw in some nori or spirulina discs and check in the morning. They often kind of hibernate for a bit.

If you have carbon it might be a good idea.

Frenchie2 · #3 04-01-2010, 06:07 AM

Can a coral sting a sea hare? I saw the sea hare last night "sucking" on a finger of a devil's hand coral then the sea hare turned away and seemed disoriented but came right back to the coral... I just hope that if the sea hare is really dead (I took it out of the tank), that it won't wipe my stock in the tank... I don't know if it released any toxins. Boy, the joys of reefing... sometimes S-T-R-E-S-S-F-U-L.... but we love it, don't we? We just keep coming back for more.

Rogue951 · #4 04-01-2010, 06:55 AM

I've had 2 die on me in tank with nothing to show for it. (as in it hid somewhere and died) this is in a 20 gallon.
the only thing I did was turn the skimmer up full blast and let it run wetter to get anything out and also put in new changes of carbon/purigen.

tank didn't seem to notice.

If yours is non responsive even when you poke it, it's probably dead. Is it really firm when do poke? Do the breathing holes (one forward, one back of the rear hump) react if u touch the edges? if not then it's quite likely dead. I've found they shrink up and turn dark.

hillegom · #5 04-01-2010, 02:52 PM

as naesco said, put it in a bucket and float it in the tank, If it is dead, after several days you will be able to smell it and know for sure.

no_bs · #6 04-01-2010, 04:26 PM

Sorry we didn't catch this thread Carole, +1 on the bucket and nori. But if it is unresponsive, more than likley has passed. Sorry to hear this, as we have a good job for him. Let us know the out come.

Frenchie2 · #7 04-01-2010, 08:20 PM

Well, it was dead after all. Put it in a bucket overnight with noori and still the very same shape this AM, nothing's touched. I poked the little holes and no response whatsoever. And man, what is ever smelly - eweuuu! So I flushed it. What a sad day....