Dolabella Sea Hare (Dolabella Auricularia)

Care Level : Expert Only

Temperament : Peaceful

Color : Grey, Green

Diet : Herbivore

Reef Compatible : Yes

Water Conditions : 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025

Origin : Indo-Pacific

Max. Size : 1'

Family : Aplysiidae

Dolabella Sea Hare (Dolabella Auricularia), also known as the Wedge Sea Hare, is a species of large sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aplysiidae, the sea hares. 

The name "Sea Hare" comes from their vegetarian diet as well as the two fringes on their head that look like rabbit ears, especially when the animal is lifting the front of its body and looks like a rabbit sitting up on its back legs.

Featuring a dulled grey color and soft spiky appendages, the Dolabella Sea Hare makes for an interesting invert.  Its body is covered with tubercles and skin flaps. Like all sea hares, it ejects a purple ink when disturbed.

In the wild, it is usually found in shallow areas of seagrasses and coral rubble, preferring the shaded areas. They are slow moving and well camouflaged within the rocks of a reef tank. Cover from the lights in the aquarium should be provided. It requires a large area in which to move. It prefers an aquarium with live rock and open sandy areas so that it can graze on algae. The Dolabella Sea Hare is one of the best algae-eaters in the home aquarium.

Sea hares are docile, non-aggressive invertebrates that shouldn’t cause compatibility issues. Ideal tankmates are small, docile fish which do not share the same food source.

It is sensitive to high levels of copper-based medications and will not tolerate bad water conditions (high nitrates).

This species has not been bred in the home aquarium. 

If you are going to keep this animal in your aquarium, you will need to supplement the bearded seal daily with sheets of dried macroalgae (such as nori).

Size: 2" to 6"