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Jellyfish are beautiful creatures, and having a jellyfish aquarium to watch every day sounds like a wonderful idea. However, jellies have particular requirements and are not necessarily the ideal tankmates.
You can’t keep jellyfish with other fish, or even with other species of jellyfish. Jellies need special tanks and are very delicate. Your jellyfish are also extremely vulnerable to air bubbles, which can kill them.
The following article will explore whether or not you can keep jellyfish with other fish and how to take care of your jellyfish. I’ll cover the tyispes of jellyfish that make good aquarium pets and show you how to take care of them. You will also find information on jellyfish stings.
Can Jellyfish Live Alongside Other Fish?
Almost all types of jellyfish need to be kept with their own species. Jellyfish are delicate, and in a tank setting, they are likely to get damaged easily by other fish.
What types of fish can jellyfish live with?
Jellyfish shouldn’t be kept with fish. Any fish swimming around is likely to bump into your jellyfish and damage its delicate membranes. Fish can also bump jellies into the sides of the tank, or they may simply get eaten by your jellies.
Can I keep different species of jellyfish in the same tank?
Most species of jellyfish can’t live with other types of jellies. You’ll need separate tanks if you want to keep more than one species of jellyfish.
Jellyfish have such a vast range of temperatures and other needs; you’d be hard-pressed to find two that will get along. They’re also extremely fragile creatures and are best left with their own species.
Can You Keep Jellyfish in a Home Aquarium?
You can keep jellyfish in an aquarium but it is a tricky and often delicate process. Jellies take a lot of looking after, and they eat a lot, too. Certain types of jellyfish are best left to advanced jellyfish keepers. There are also plenty of jellies that do well in professional aquariums with biologists taking care of them, but these would not survive long in your home and could even be dangerous.
What type of jellyfish can live in a home aquarium?
The most common jellyfish kept as a pet is the Moon Jellyfish. Also known as Common Jellyfish, Saucer Jellies, or Aurelia aurita, Moon Jellyfish is found worldwide. They tend to live in harbors, bays, and other calm waters.
Some other types of jellyfish that do well in aquariums are:
- Cannonball
- Japanese Sea Nettle
- Purple Striped
- Blue Blubber
- Upside-Down
- Flame
- Lagoon
Beginners should approach with caution, as it’s recommended you start with Moon Jellies.
How Do You Care For Jellyfish?
Jellyfish require very specific tanks and are incredibly vulnerable to injury and death. It’s not impossible if you know what you’re doing, but they certainly aren’t the easiest of fish to keep.
What kind of tank does jellyfish need?
Jellyfish have a habit of getting stuck in corners, so you’ll need a round or cylindrical tank. Avoid rectangular tanks, square tanks, or any other shape with boxy corners. The best tanks for jellyfish are Pseudo-Kreisel tanks, which don’t have anywhere for your jellies to get stuck.
Your new jellyfish pets are also vulnerable to filtration and air bubbles. Jellies like gentle water patterns and rely on these to feed and move. However, jellyfish have fragile skin, and tank circulation that is too harsh can severely injure them.
Air bubbles, even the microscopic kind, can get trapped under jellyfish umbrellas, which may tear holes in the membrane and kill your jellies.
What do jellyfish eat?
Most jellyfish eat plankton and baby brine shrimp. However, jellyfish are known to consume large amounts, so make sure you have plenty of food to offer them.
I recommend Hikari Fish Food, as it’s suitable for all kinds of tropical and saltwater fish. It’s also been known to reduce stress and stress-related illnesses in tank fish.
What temperature should my tank water be?
Jellyfish are found all over the world, from cold seas to tropical oceans, so you’ll need to be absolutely sure that your tank is at the right temperature.
Moon Jellies, for example, like slightly cooler water, in the 50 – 59 ℉ (10 – 15 ℃) range. So you’ll have to chill your tank water for some jellies and warm it for others.
What kind of lighting does jellyfish need?
Your jellies will eat algae, and for algae to photosynthesize, you need lots of bright light. However, too many algae in the water can change your water quality, leaving you with sick jellyfish.
Jellyfish are sensitive to differences in light and dark and run some of their daily habits by the light, a lot like us! It’s a good idea to put your aquarium lights on a timer for twelve hours dark and twelve hours light. This will also help you keep control of algae.
Will My Pet Jellyfish Sting Me?
Moon Jellies can sting you, but it is one of the milder stings. However, you should avoid touching your jellyfish and wear gloves while working on your tank. Some people have severe allergic reactions to jellyfish stings and may require emergency medical treatment.
Jellyfish sting symptoms include:
- Burning or stinging pain
- Purple, red, or brown tracks on your skin
- Swelling
- Itching
- Redness
- Throbbing pain that radiates to other areas
More severe symptoms include vomiting, muscle spasms, headaches, heart or breathing problems, and fainting.
The deadliest jellyfish sting in the world is the box jellyfish. It’s considered the most venomous sea creature, after all. Box jelly stings can be fatal in less than five minutes, sometimes as little as two minutes.
How long will my pet jellies live?
Moon Jellies can live for a little over a year. Almost all jellyfish species will live for up to, or just over, a year in aquariums.
Can I breed my jellyfish?
You can breed jellyfish in captivity, but it’s incredibly difficult to raise jellyfish to adulthood. Large aquariums manned by experts are only just figuring out how to breed certain types of jellyfish.
Breeding jellyfish can be difficult due to the microscopic stages of their life cycles. They’re impossible to see, and most breeders start with polyps. You can buy polyps or collect them from areas they may have built up in your tank.
Jellyfish breeding is best left to the experts and industrial aquariums!
How Much Are Pet Jellyfish?
Jellyfish are not the cheapest aquarium fish, especially once you consider the specialist tanks. The easiest jellies to look after, Moon Jellies, cost $22 for a small, $35 for a medium, and $55 for a large. However, bundles are also available so that you can buy a few together.
Moon Jellies are one of the cheapest jellyfish, but you may be able to get Upside-Down Jellyfish for a few dollars less.
Like the Dwarf Lion’s Mane and the Pacific Sea Nettle, the more expensive species of jellyfish will cost you anything from $120 to $150 for a single specimen.
Conclusion
In this article, I have looked at whether you can keep jellyfish with other fish, what kind of tank you’ll need for jellyfish, and what they eat. I’ve also explored the type of temperature and lighting they need and which kinds of jellyfish can live in home aquariums.
The article also includes information on stings, and whether your pet jellyfish will sting you, jellyfish life spans, and whether you can breed them or not.
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