Dr. John Turnbull, Marine Explorer, Australien
Info
Dolabrifera brazieri grows up to 15cm and is only found in the waters around Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.
The sea hare primarily eats green algae such as Ulva sp.
Although Dolabrifera brazieri is usually speckled green, the sea hare is quite variable in colour, ranging from a light water yellow to a dark purple brown.
This large Dolabrifera species, which grows to about 15 cm long, differs from the tropical Dolabrifera dolabrifera by its much larger size and the presence of large smooth, conical tubers all over its body.
The lseahare is often found in rock pools and other intertidal areas, often under rocks, where the lumpfish lays a very recognisable egg mass that is attached to rocks as a flat, zigzag-shaped band.
The dorsal surface has expandable, compound, pointed papillae. The head has two pairs of curled tentacles, the front pair is both chemosensory and tactile and is used to "smell" chemicals in the water and to feel objects.
The pair behind the eyes, the rhinophores, are the main chemosensory organs used to "smell" food.
When there is danger or disturbance, Dolabrifera brazieri emits a white liquid.
Synonym: Dolabrifera jacksoniensis Pilsbry, 1896
Sea hares feed on algae. They eat various types of algae, kelp and seaweed. In the process, plant parts are rasped off with the rasping tongue (radula). Microscopic food particles are also ingested with the algae. They are often used in aquaristics for algae problems, but with the end of their food they also get nutritional problems.
For protection against predators there are some species that additionally store the toxin aplysiatoxin. This aplysiatoxin is a product of cyanobacteria, which grow on certain types of seaweed. These are ingested along with the algae.
Sea hares are good algae eaters after a usually difficult acclimation period and are also not very picky about the algae. When acclimating, be sure to use the droplet method, as they are extremely sensitive to density fluctuations.
Thus, in addition to the usual filamentous algae, Wrangelia argus and so-called smear algae are often not spurned.
If no more algae are present, then it does not take long and the ea hare starves to death.
However, you can also offer it over-scalded lettuce as a substitute food, but then you should also looka for a substitute home.
Attention, important:
If you want to keep a sea hare, be sure to provide shelter so they don't get caught in a flow pump and shredded.
Dying sea hares are capable of causing the entire fish and crustacean population to die within a short period of time.
If the dead sea hare is not discovered in time, it is imperative to perform a very generous water change and additionally filter with charcoal to filter out the released toxins
The sea hare primarily eats green algae such as Ulva sp.
Although Dolabrifera brazieri is usually speckled green, the sea hare is quite variable in colour, ranging from a light water yellow to a dark purple brown.
This large Dolabrifera species, which grows to about 15 cm long, differs from the tropical Dolabrifera dolabrifera by its much larger size and the presence of large smooth, conical tubers all over its body.
The lseahare is often found in rock pools and other intertidal areas, often under rocks, where the lumpfish lays a very recognisable egg mass that is attached to rocks as a flat, zigzag-shaped band.
The dorsal surface has expandable, compound, pointed papillae. The head has two pairs of curled tentacles, the front pair is both chemosensory and tactile and is used to "smell" chemicals in the water and to feel objects.
The pair behind the eyes, the rhinophores, are the main chemosensory organs used to "smell" food.
When there is danger or disturbance, Dolabrifera brazieri emits a white liquid.
Synonym: Dolabrifera jacksoniensis Pilsbry, 1896
Sea hares feed on algae. They eat various types of algae, kelp and seaweed. In the process, plant parts are rasped off with the rasping tongue (radula). Microscopic food particles are also ingested with the algae. They are often used in aquaristics for algae problems, but with the end of their food they also get nutritional problems.
For protection against predators there are some species that additionally store the toxin aplysiatoxin. This aplysiatoxin is a product of cyanobacteria, which grow on certain types of seaweed. These are ingested along with the algae.
Sea hares are good algae eaters after a usually difficult acclimation period and are also not very picky about the algae. When acclimating, be sure to use the droplet method, as they are extremely sensitive to density fluctuations.
Thus, in addition to the usual filamentous algae, Wrangelia argus and so-called smear algae are often not spurned.
If no more algae are present, then it does not take long and the ea hare starves to death.
However, you can also offer it over-scalded lettuce as a substitute food, but then you should also looka for a substitute home.
Attention, important:
If you want to keep a sea hare, be sure to provide shelter so they don't get caught in a flow pump and shredded.
Dying sea hares are capable of causing the entire fish and crustacean population to die within a short period of time.
If the dead sea hare is not discovered in time, it is imperative to perform a very generous water change and additionally filter with charcoal to filter out the released toxins
