Emergency on my Sea Hare

[Sisterann]

My Sea Hare is starting to shrivel up and it looks like insides might be starting to come out of his back. What is wrong and what do I do?

 

[Sakura2282]

If you could post a picture of it that would help a lot the people who can answer your question. And also, what are your parameters (nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, salinity, temperature, PH). How long the tank has being set up? And what livestock do you have in your tank?

 

[Sakura2282]

Where are my manners?

Hello and welcome to the forums! :)

 

[Sisterann]

My levels are good in normal parameters. A few days ago my nitrate and nitrites were high so I did a 25% water change. I also just lost a small maroon clown fish this morning. I have had my system up and running for two months.

 

[Sisterann]

Where are my manners?

Hello and welcome to the forums! :)

Thank you,

 

[Sakura2282]

What about your ammonia? I can understand the nitrates, but nitrites should be at 0 in a cycled tank. What have you don't that's different in the last couple weeks. Have you add any new livestock, started dosing something? I think @Aquarian, @salt_for_brains, @emmett0122 or @mariobrothersleeve could help you. Hope they find your thread soon.

 

[Sakura2282]

I just read about sea hares on LiveAquaria.com and it says there, that they do not tolerate high nitrates. Maybe your nitrates are still to high for it. And also, "If it becomes startled, it may release a purple dye to repel attacking fish. In the home aquarium, the Sea Hare will need a good chemical filter system to quickly remove this toxic dye before it causes problems." Maybe that kill your clown. How good is your filtration?

 

[emmett0122]

how much algae do you have in your tank these guys never stop eating and could be starving to death and they can release a toxin if threatened that is there one and only defense and maroon clowns can be bullies best of luck and hope this helps

 

[Sisterann]

My ammonia is good. It hasn't inked at all. I don't have any green algie so it was eating romaine lettuce and I went tonight and bought nori but when I got back it is stiff now.

 

[emmett0122]

did you keep lettuce in the tank 24/7 or just feed it a couple times a day?

 

[salt_for_brains]

It sounds like you have had some violently changing water parameters. If your tank was properly cycled it would seem something major happened to cause your nitrites to go up.
How big is your tank? How much live rock do you have? What livestock do you have and did you have?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Pull him out. They poop from their back, but their butt shouldn't look like that. They are rated for experts because when they die, they release a toxin. Your tank is way to clean for one of those algae machimes

 

[Aquarian]

Everyone has you covered here, I hope you get this sorted out.

 

[Sisterann]

I sadly have to say I just took her out and she is no longer with us. I think I didn't have enough algae for her to eat and just found out last night about nori, not in time. I don't know what happened to the water all of a sudden.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I strongly recommend doing another w/c. Please don't get another animal like this unless you have hundreds of gallons of water and an algae issue that you have been fighting for months. Usually these creatures are bought by a reef society and passed from tank to tank because they do such a good job. They should really be banded from our hobby because algae can be prevented by routine husbandry. Sorry for your loss, please research all things before putting them in your tank like that fake plant that shouldn't be there.