Dolabella Sea Hare

Dolabella auricularia


(23 Reviews)

Dolabella Sea Hare

Dolabella Sea Hare

Dolabella auricularia


(23 Reviews)

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Care Facts

Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Reef Safe: Yes
Minimum Tank Size: 20 Gallons
Max Size: 16 inches
The Dolabella Sea Hare, Dolabella auricularia, also known as the Wedge Sea Hare, is one of the best algae-eaters in the home aquarium. The Dolabella Sea Hare can clean an entire 125 gallon reef tank of all hair algae in about two weeks - they are quite the efficient janitors. They are rather sensitive to pH and salinity changes and can take a little while to fully acclimate to a new tank (they should be drip acclimated). Featuring a dulled grey color and soft spiky appendages, the Dolabella Sea Hare makes for an interesting invert. 
They are slow moving and well camouflaged within the rocks of a reef tank. The Dolabella Sea Hare is reef safe and is a relatively risk-free addition to any tank as it is an incredibly beneficial algae-eater. 

Very fat and heathy!


Reviewed by: Bridget Keating on Feb. 21, 2024


Reviewed by: Simon Asselin on Feb. 16, 2024

Big healthy guy


Reviewed by: Mike Perdue on Feb. 7, 2024

Large


Reviewed by: Mike Perdue on Jan. 30, 2024

So far so good. Seem to be healthy and eating, too early to really tell


Reviewed by: Amber Greenetz on Jan. 9, 2024

Good packing and shipping. Sea Hares came in alive and happy!


Reviewed by: Eric Bell on Dec. 6, 2023

Neat


Reviewed by: Debbie Konechney on Nov. 21, 2023

Bigger than I had hoped for... usually at larger sizes they are end of life... we shall see.


Reviewed by: Chris Hobbins on Oct. 25, 2023


Reviewed by: Joe Pisecco on Oct. 16, 2023

The live stock they sent me overall was great.. Very healthy. My problem is that it is wild caught and it wasn't taught how to eat algae (nori). I have issues with hair algae in my tank, keeping a Dolabella keeps it check and when they're not eating that I feed other algae. I'm in the process of trying to get this one to try and eat algae as he didn't take long to clean the whole aquarium, but I'm scared that I'm going to loose this one vs my first one which lived to its lifespan... That one was eating nori when I got him, this one isn't. That is why you lost a star.


Reviewed by: Mark Vernon on Sept. 26, 2023


Reviewed by: Louis Burrill on Aug. 20, 2023

He is cleaning my 125 Gallon tank all by himself. It was covered with hair algae. Not anymore! Excellent specimen. Thanks Saltwaterfish.com


Reviewed by: Allan Milford on Aug. 2, 2023

We love our sea hare! Keeps our tank tree from algae. We feed nori sheets to keep them happy.


Reviewed by: Donna on April 6, 2023

I love love love my sea hare. I actually named him Shrek because of his ears. Destroys algae and is a unique addition to any tank. Some say that these are ugly but I think it is that they are so ugly they are cute. Does what he is supposed to do. Love watching him lick the tank glass and eat from his algae clip.


Reviewed by: Jessica on June 14, 2019

I had a moderate hair algae outbreak in my 240 gallon system. I obtained one of these guys to help out. Within about a week, the hair algae was gone. This animal is nocturnal, and eats and eats. I have been supplementing his diet with nori strips. I don't want him to starve to death, as that's just wrong and could cause a tank crash, I've heard, and would probably kill thousands of dollars worth of coral and fish.


Reviewed by: Kevin Roney on June 26, 2018

Dolabella sea hare. I bought the smallest one hoping he won't starve to death after cleaning all algae. He does a good job & you can tell every morning where he has been. He is ugly but does what he was bought to do.


Reviewed by: Kimberly Gregory on April 9, 2017

Delightful, though fragile.


Reviewed by: Michelle Denson on July 9, 2015

This guy is an algae eating machine. I had an absolute mess of a green hair algae bloom in my 44 gal seahorse tank. This guy picked it clean in about a week and a half.


Reviewed by: Scott on May 8, 2015

Ordered two Sea Hares and both arrived in great shape. Both are actively eating hair algae in my tank. They have been a great addition to my tank that has been set up for about 8 years.


Reviewed by: Karl on April 24, 2015

I purchased two sea hare's, it been about 2 years having problems with hair algae in a 55 gallon reef tank, I had for 5years. I used and did everything; could not get the algae under control, I was told for the first time a month ago about the sea hares, so I researched them before buying. the service at saltwaterfish.com is great and arrived very quickly. As soon as they arrived and Acclimation Drip Method was done for an hour; they was placed in the tank. The hares started doing their job asap and now it been 3 weeks and no more hair algae woohoo :-). Anyone having issues with any type of algae problems; then here the tool for it, but they are very ugly. I now feed them dried seaweed and place it in different places through out the reef and they find it with no issues before the crabs get to it, they love it.


Reviewed by: Daniel on March 13, 2015

Good value here. Large specimen and can't beat the price!


Reviewed by: Tim Matlock on Feb. 20, 2015

Dolabella auricularia hares from Saltwaterfish.com are the only sea hares I've ever had that consistently eat bryopsis. I've purchased the same species, or at least that's what they were advertised as, from other vendors and none eat have eaten bryopsis. Unfortunately, all of the Dolabella auricularia hares I've purchased from saltwaterfish.com have also ended up dead in my 18" sebae. I suspect it's related to my wave maker which cycle the pumps over the anemone on and off ever 15 minutes. It gives the hare just enough time to get into position to be blown straight into the anemone when they engage. One time I did find the hare under the anemone which makes me suspect they're actually stupid enough to crawl straigh into danger. Both times, when they're in distress, they've excreted their purple goo, but the goo has stayed sort of slimed to the animals body and hasn't fouled the tank. I'm hoping I can find a way to keep these animals healthy and happy in my tank. In addition to eating bryopsis, they're very interesting animals. The last one I had would occasionally come to the top of the tank and put it's head outside of the water. On one occasion I was able to hand feed it strips of wet seaweed. They're very interesting and helpful animals.


Reviewed by: Timothy Welty on Dec. 27, 2014

Just as pictured. Acclimated well and quickly. Is an absolute destroyer of green hair algae. The hares are VERY susceptible to mishaps with in-tank equipment. You must make sure all intake valves are covered or these beauties will find a way to get caught and, when they get stressed or, even worse, die, they will quickly foul your entire tank and can easily kill just about everything in it. A system crash caused by one of these a real scenario, so make sure you don't leave anything to chance. Also, a tank that only has a little algae will quickly run out of food for the hare, so probably best not to order one unless you have a real problem. Keep supplemental food on hand to feed them once the tank is picked clean...


Reviewed by: John Stophel on July 31, 2014

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