[JFK_Jr]

I've had a form of macro algae growing on my live rock called Phylum Phaeophyta Dictyota sp. for about a month now. It grows rapidly and has been a nuisance having to harvest it from my tank at least on a weekly basis. My Yellow tang and Kole tang won't eat it, so I was looking for something that would.

Brown algae / Phaeophyta:
Dictyota sp. Photo courtesy of Marc Levenson (melev)



Photo from my tank:




I recently purchased a Sea Hare from Bali... and let me tell you... Sea Hare... hands down!






It is mowing through the Dictyota sp., consuming it at an awesome pace! I'm going to have to keep some in my sump for when he clears the tank. I've also got a small patch of Bryopsis hair that I'm waiting to see if the Sea Hare eats. He's been so busy with the Dictyota sp. that he hasn't had a chance to get to the Bryopsis. I'll update everyone if he eats it. Sea Hares are known to feed on numerous types of macroalgae, including red, brown, and green... they are lovers of Caulerpa from what I've read. I paid $20 bucks for him, and ordered him through my LFS... he's about 4" long.

They do have an "Inking" defense mechanisim... but I've not had any issues so far... and I've handled him by picking him up and placing him down. Funny... some people think they are ugly... but he's grown on me. The head actually looks like a rabbits when eating... hence the name Sea Hare.

Oh yeah... BTW... He's very gentle cruising in and around my corals without bulldozing anything!