How old and how big 1/24/10
Hello there. I was just wondering what the longest time was for a sea hare to live in a home aquarium.
<At least years. Some Aplysia California for a decade or more reportedly>
I am also wondering what the longest Pajama Cardinal grew to be in a home aquarium.
<Four inches, ten cm.s or so>
I think I may have some record breaking specimens, but would like to know the answers to the above questions before I do anything else.
Thank you for your time!
--
Austin Rice
www.aliveaquaria.com
<Bob Fenner>
Re: How old and how big 1/24/10
4 inches and 10 cm...from tip of the face to tip of the tail, or tail not included? Thanks.
<Not standard length (SL) as in fisheries, ichthyology, but overall length as in pet-fish. B>

Weird behaviour on sea hares... need to read   9/27/08 I have noticed very weird behaviour on the sea slugs. <Mmm, there are tropical and non-tropical species sold in the trade...> I bought them because I have a massive algae problem, which I haven't been able to solve, lights are ok, levels are in 0, I have a phosphate reactor, <Do you have life that needs soluble phosphate?> sump with Caulerpa, <Mmm, toxic itself to degrees> etc. It perhaps magnesium is low and I am fixing it, but there's so much algae that algae predators were needed. <Mmmm, not so sure. Likely other issues... lack of competition, nutrient abundance, imbalance...> Well a long time ago I had a small algae problem and I bought a 4 inch sea hare, the thing was an algae eating machine and it ate all the algae and then died in the powerhead. I have shut down the powerhead now in order to not have this problem again. So 1 year after that incident and with a major algae problem, I bought a new one and it was about 2 inches, it didn't move much, it seemed to sleep most of the day and it apparently died since left no trace and no poop and no algae devoured. So after 4 months I bought 6 sea hares of the spotted variety, <... what species?> they behave very weird, they are 1.5 inches in size, 1 of them spends the whole time upside down, barely moves, I think its dead, other 4 seem to sleep most of the time, I don't see them eat much, and 1 is moving everywhere and eating a lot this one is also the biggest one. I don't know what to think of the ones that sleep a lot or the one upside down, any ideas? <Either incompatible for the system, or the algae present isn't palatable most likely> If they actually get to eat all of the algae, which would take a while, can they feed on Caulerpa?, <Some species some species> I got some feather Caulerpa invading the main tank. Can they be given Nori to eat? <Ditto> Is it true that they only live 2 years at most? <Most, yes. I'd be reading on WWM re Caulerpa, Algae control in general and Aplysiids... for this last here: http://wetwebmedia.com/seaslugcomp.htm and the linked files above... Get reading. Bob Fenner>

Sea Hare Splitting? 10/23/06 Hi WWM crew, <Hello Ryan> I have a 35 gallon saltwater tank. There is a Coral Beauty, orange star fish, three crabs, and a Sea Hare. I woke up this morning and I saw my Sea Hare's skin splitting down the middle. There was something that looked like a white larva where the skin split. I took out the Sea Hare and moved it to a quarantine tank, because I heard they can kill your other fish when they die. <Indeed.> It hasn't moved around in the quarantine tank so I think it's dead. Do you have any idea of why it did this, or how I can prevent it in the future? <Most Sea Hares, if not all, are very difficult to keep.  Should only be attempted by expert aquarists.  They do not appreciate bright light and are algae grazers.  I'm quite sure none of these conditions exist in your tank.  Try something a little more easier to keep in the future.> Thanks for your reply! <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)> Ryan Forsman

Sea hare growth ... no info.   5/4/06 My sea hare has a what I can only describe as a growth on the side of her head, it started off as a little growth but by the evening it has grown really long, part of it is long and thin and the end piece is bulbous and a pale blue green colour she is still alive, any ideas???        Thanks for your help            Ellire <Perhaps a tumor of some sort... I'd be checking your water quality, moving the animal if you have another "clean" system... doing water changes, employing chemical filtrant/s if nothing else. Bob Fenner>