Help ID Sea Hare

December 21, 2001
From: Brad Janecka


I recently found this Sea Hare in my 75 gal. reef tank. I am assuming he came along with some fiji rock that I used for building my reef. He is about 1 1/2 inches long and can stretch his neck even further. I am concerned with the "ink" that they can release when threatened. Will this "ink" kill something or everything in my tank? What happens when the sea hare dies? Is the "ink" released or can the "ink" be released as the body decomposes if I can not find it inside the tank? Should I avoid certain fish or other items that would harass him and increase the likelyhood of "inking"?
Thanks for your help.
Brad Janecka

bradj@southwestrec.com

Janecka, B., 2001 (Dec 21) Help ID Sea Hare. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5856

Dear Brad,
Your Sea Hare is Dolabrifera dolabrifera. As you will see at the top of the page, stretching out its 'neck' to crawl along is quite characteristic of Dolabella. Sea Hares seem to co-exist in aquaria quite well so I can't imagine to much drama. This species only grows about as big as your animal so I don't think 'inking', if it occurs, will foul your tank. In some species that have been studied purple ink is only produced when Sea Hares eat red algae. I suspect in your tank it will be eating greens so again inking will probably not be a problem.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Dec 21). Comment on Help ID Sea Hare by Brad Janecka. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5856

Factsheet

Dolabrifera dolabrifera

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