How Do You Keep Jellyfish? A Detailed Guide to Jellyfish Care Methods and Precautions

Jellyfish belong to the class Scyphozoa within the phylum Cnidaria, and they are very beautiful aquatic animals whose bodies look like transparent umbrellas. Keeping small jellyfish as pets has become increasingly fashionable among young people, but many people do not know how to keep them alive, and they also worry that jellyfish are poisonous. So what should be done? Let's take a look below at how jellyfish should actually be kept!

What do jellyfish eat?

Jellyfish are all carnivorous, feeding on plankton, small crustaceans, polychaetes, and even small fish. Mechanical and chemical stimulation from food causes the polyp-like animals to extend their tentacles and release nematocysts to entangle, paralyze, and kill their prey, then send the food into their mouths. Once they encounter prey, they never easily let it go.

Are jellyfish poisonous?

Jellyfish are poisonous. Jellyfish are one of the most venomous marine organisms, and the box jellyfish is especially venomous. If someone is poisoned by it and does not receive emergency treatment within 0 to 4 minutes, it can lead to death. According to surveys, tens of thousands of people in China are stung by jellyfish every year. These patients may experience symptoms such as red, swollen skin or muscle pain within a short time, and in severe cases, patients may experience difficulty breathing, shock, or even death. All of this is caused by jellyfish venom.

How do you keep jellyfish?

1. Choosing jellyfish: The moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) is much less venomous than other dangerous jellyfish (such as box jellyfish). Or the jellyfish from Jellyfish Lake. However, if people with sensitive constitutions accidentally touch a jellyfish, they may still develop itching and redness because they came into contact with the stinging cells on the jellyfish's body.

2. Saltwater culture: Jellyfish are marine organisms, so they must be kept in seawater. About once a week, the water also needs to be changed for them to prevent dust and microorganisms from blocking the jellyfish and fish from receiving energy and affecting their movement speed. When changing the water, be careful not to touch the jellyfish, and when adding water, do not rush; it should be done slowly.

3. Professional equipment: Use aquariums specially designed for marine organisms, especially jellyfish. Special varieties of jellyfish require a certain amount of water flow control.

4. Temperature management: A thermostat should also be placed in the aquarium to keep the water temperature at around 25°C, otherwise their “survival” will run into problems.

5. Feeding management: Jellyfish have very high requirements for food. Plankton such as brine shrimp nauplii and Artemia (for Artemia culture, please refer to other experience guides) are their favorites. When the digestive organs and mouth in the jellyfish's bell turn orange, it means the jellyfish is already full. The number of feedings and the portion size should be well controlled and should not be too much, because it will easily cause the water quality to deteriorate.

6. Light source management: Light is an important factor for jellyfish to supplement energy. Some jellyfish contain single-celled zooxanthellae algae, which supply the oxygen produced by their own photosynthesis to the jellyfish, while the nitrogenous waste produced by the jellyfish's metabolism is conveniently provided to the single-celled zooxanthellae in their bodies. The relationship between the two is interdependent. Most professional jellyfish culture aquariums contain coral blue lights, which can provide photosynthesis for the single-celled zooxanthellae. The lighting time does not need special strengthening., the lighting time does not need special strengthening.

Note: It is recommended that everyone first master some knowledge about jellyfish keeping before deciding whether to keep them. Due to limited conditions, the lifespan of home-kept jellyfish generally does not exceed 9 months. You should be responsible both to the small jellyfish and to yourself.