Sea Hare Vs. Anemone

[lauriemae]

Just came home from church to see my anemone eating my sea hare! I couldn't believe it! I didn't think my anemone was that big, especially considering the sea hare was over 3 inches and chunky. I had NO clue what was in the anemone's mouth...my son said he thought that was what it was and when I pulled it out, it was like an embryo...all white, had the shape of a much smaller sea hare, no inkling of what the sea hare's outside looked like when it was alive...two red dots for eyes that were behind the layers of the translucent body. I'm SO sad. Not only was he doing a pretty good job of eliminating hair algae, but he was entertaining and really cool to watch. What could cause the anemone to grab it? I will say there are two areas in my tank that have a LOT of green hair algae, and both are right by the anemone/clownfish area and the clownfish will bite me if I try to get close to pull out the hair algae. I never saw the sea hare go close to the anemone before, but could he have been trying to get the algae and the anemone got angry? Don't want an aggressive anemone that's for sure!

Thoughts?

Laurie Mae

(When we pulled it out of it's mouth and out of the tank hoping he was alive still it STUNK SOOOOO BAD!!! I KNOW he was alive last night...but smelled like it was dead for days. The anemone had not taken bits out of it, the only thing I saw missing was the outside layer, which I would guess just turns inside out?)

 

[Rscomia]

What kind of anemone was it? With most of them you risk a chance of them eating anything they can get ahold of

 

[lauriemae]

type

not sure...will snap a photo and post it. It was a tiny anemone when I got it and I've never had any luck in getting them to survive in any of my small tanks. My son had issues in his larger tank, too, but we both ended up with one (each) that survived nicely...would be good to know what it is though. When I saw it eating it, it looked like the anemone's foot was sticking out the bottom and it was thinking of relocating, which it has never done in six months. Sadly, it wasn't the case...

 

[Rscomia]

I have a carpet anemone in one tank that I can not add any new fish to because I have evil clowns that seem to lure the new fish to it for food. Found this out the hard way after it ate two new jewel damsels

 

[lauriemae]

anemone identification/location

Here's a photo of the anemone and where it is in the tank. As you can see, there hair algae is thick and hardy by the anemone and I'm unable to get to it without attack nemo biting me and I'm wondering if the same thing happened to the sea hare? I've heard of sea hares eating anemones but not the other way around normally....The sea hare looked as big as the whole anemone. Go figure.

 

[Rscomia]

It looks to me like Either a Ritteri or a long tentacle but I am not sure may want to get a second opinion to be sure A Ritteri will be the more agressive of the 2 Im like you maybe the sea hare just wondered to close with that hair algae there

 

[Ricksreef]

The sea hare was probably already dead.They are such voracious eaters it is hard to keep one for long.

 

[carey]

The sea hare was probably already dead.They are such voracious eaters it is hard to keep one for long.

I've had my sea hare for over 4 months and he's doing fine. I do feed algae sheets as a supplement.

 

[lauriemae]

but as you can see, there was PLENTY of hair algae still for him to eat and he spent lots of time on the side of the tank as well....hard to believe he would have been out of food. I would have started supplementing him with algae sheets like we do in my son's tank for his tangs...moot point now, but would like to get another one to eliminate the hair algae if possible, but now nervous about it. What else would he have died from if not starving to death or wandering too close. Do they start smelling immediately at death and why did he turn embryo looking? What happens to the outside?

Suggestions on the hair algae? Water parameters are fine...we test twice a week and LFS has tested routinely, too. Phosphates/nitrates are fine, not overfeeding, in fact the brittle stars that are in my live rocks are coming out during the day so I assume they are hungry, new bulbs in the MH fixture and T5's, MH lights on 6 hours a day the T5's another 4. Lots of mexican turbo snails, mud snails, 3 emerald crabs, one (too big) algae blenny, 3 peppermint shrimp, 2 mated coral banded (small) shrimp. I think I have plenty of clean up crew but can't eliminate the hair algae.

Should I chance another sea hare?

 

[Rscomia]

How often do you do pwc's? what size tank and how much do you change? As for the sea hare there would be no way to guarentee 100% that it would not be ate to

 

[lauriemae]

My son does partial water changes bi weekly. It is a 28 gallon tank and he probably changes 4-5 gallons each time. I know there is never a guarantee something won't get eaten, but I'm hoping to generate some additional answers on what may have gone wrong so I can make a somewhat intelligent, educated decision.

 

[Rscomia]

That is about 10% wc change I would recommend doing that weekly Are you using RO water? Green hair algae is feed by nitrates and phosphates in some cases it will use up all the nitrates and phosphates in your water to feed giving you the 0 readings that you are getting you might try using a nitrate sponge

 

[lauriemae]

Thanks for the advice! Will ask him (lol, nicely... as he LOVES doing my water changes for me) to do it once a week. Yes, we buy RO water and I had never heard what you said about the hair algae eating up the phos/nitrates and leaving a 0 reading. What can I do about that other than more often water changes and a nitrate sponge (which I also never heard of...where do I get one of those)? Appreciate the help!

 

[Rscomia]

Do you have a sump? If so maybe put some type of macroalgae in there that absorbs nitrates (I have chaeto in mine) A foxface fish is supposed to eat it also a lettuce nudibranch which puts you in the same place deciding on if you want to replace your sea hare I have even heard of people spending time to take rocks out and scrub them clean with a toothbrush I dont know if this is possible to do in your situation
Most of your lfs will have a nitrate/phosphate sponge

 

[lauriemae]

no

sump...this is a biocube that is open on top with a light fixture on legs on the top. I've had the lettuce nudis before...they are much smaller so could try them. Never heard of a foxface eating it...could try that, too. I would LOVE to take the rock out and scrub it and considered doing that when I had a bad outbreak of red cyno, but the problem is with the hair algae, it is attached to the rocks the anemone and killer clown are stuck to so I'm afraid if I dislodge the anemone, it won't go back to the spot it's been since day one. The other rocks that have bits and pieces of it have attached polyps and I'd hate to chance losing my corals. BTW...have you ever seen the teal/aqua looking feather algae before? I'm struggling to get rid of bits and pieces of that, too...

Thanks for info on nitrate sponge, etc., I will check it out.

 

[Rscomia]

Not real familiar with the feather algae I think that is similiar to or aka caulerpa If it is I had a small amount in one of my tanks and was told it was fine as long as it didnt go "sexual" releasing toxins in the water and turning it cloudy I didnt want to risk it so I tried picking with not much luck so I ended up just taking the rock it was on out