Introduction

Jellyfish, despite a terrible first impression, are among the most fascinating species on the planet and deserve a second opportunity to shine.

Meeting a jellyfish is not a pleasant experience for most people. They seem limp, amorphous, and burned in the sun on the beach. A tentacle brushing across exposed flesh in the water is frequently followed by a sting. They don’t quite have the calm grace of a turtle or the majestic grandeur of a breaching humpback whale.

Jellyfish are fascinating animals, and did you know that you can keep them as pets?

We’ll walk you through the basic steps for raising pet jellyfish in this article.

But before we get into that, let’s take a look at why you should keep jellyfish as pets.

Why keep jellyfish as pets?

Keeping a jellyfish appeals to many people for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that they are gorgeous and may be calming! Their elegant movement may have you engrossed for hours as you watch them glide across the water! There have been credible research that suggests that watching jellyfish swim might help people relax.

Have you considered having one in your house if they are intriguing to observe through the water?

Jellyfish Art has now created the most advanced jellyfish tank on the market, which keeps jellyfish healthy while still being simple to maintain.

If you’re thinking about getting an aquarium, keep in mind that jellyfish cannot live in a typical aquarium. They need tanks with no corners, a steady flow of water, and a sheltered outflow. 

As a result, if you’re thinking of getting an aquarium, be sure it’s created expressly for jellyfish. 

Let’s get started with the step-by-step instructions for raising a pet jellyfish. I’m sure you’re excited!

How to Start building a Jellyfish Tank:

For ornamental fish tanks, jellyfish are a popular pet. They are a living piece of art with their fascinating shapes and calming motions. You may have exotic jellyfish everywhere in your house, even on your desk, with the appropriate arrangement. However, because jellyfish are sensitive animals that require a specialized tank environment to grow, it takes a lot more consideration than simply setting up a conventional aquarium.

Note: You must be prepared to imitate the ocean before you decide to keep a jellyfish as a pet.

Jellyfish have lived on the planet for almost 500 million years. They can be found in every ocean and look to have a long future ahead of them. While some marine animals are thriving, others are threatened by climate change and exploitation.

It may appear simple to provide a tank of water for such basic and robust critters to live in. The study revealed that keeping an aquarium in top shape necessitates a delicate balance of salts, acidity, and minerals.

A Step by Step Guide:

PART 1: Selecting the Tank

1. Look for an aquarium tank that is modest to medium in size. You may keep your jellyfish in a sterile and clean aquarium tank. You may keep one to three little jellyfish in a small tank that fits on your desk at work or  home. Alternatively, a medium-sized aquarium tank that can accommodate a higher number of jellyfish is an option. Look for a tank with a round form or one that is tall and thin.

• A circular tank with a flat bottom is good since it allows your jellyfish to float in the tank water. This is necessary for your jellyfish’s health and pleasure.

2. Get yourself a jellyfish tank kit. Another alternative is to purchase a tank kit designed exclusively for jellyfish. These aquariums are tiny, generally circular, and are designed to host one to three little jellyfish. For a higher number of jellyfish, tall, thin containers are available. Jellyfish tank kits are available online or at your local pet store.

3. Get the rest of the goods you’ll need. The components needed to set up a jellyfish tank are usually included in most jellyfish tank kits. If you’re keeping your jellyfish in a fish tank, you’ll need to buy a few more things, including:

• An air pump
• An under the gravel filter plate
• An air tube
• Airline tubing
• Substrate for the bottom of the tank, such as glass beads
• An LED light
• An LED remote control (optional)

PART 2: Setting Up the Tank

1. Get the rest of the resources you’ll need. The components needed to set up a jellyfish tank are usually included in most jellyfish tank kits. If you’re keeping your jellyfish in a fish tank, you’ll need to buy a few more things, including:

• A low table in your home in a dark spot or the top of a desk would work.

2. Set up the air tubing and filter plate. Place the air tube in the center of the filter plates and connect the filter plates. The air tube should be placed in the center of the tank to allow air to flow throughout it.

• To fit with the rest of the plates, you may need to cut one of the plates on one side. You may use scissors or an X-ACTO knife to achieve this. 
• In the tank, place the filter plate and the air tubing. When you slip the plates into the tank, they should cover the whole bottom of the tank and fit tightly. 
• Place the substrate in place. The substrate will aid in the concealment of the filter plates in the tank. Instead of sand or gravel, you should use glass beads. Gravel can be dangerous to jellyfish. Place the beads in the tank by hand to avoid breaking or nicking them.
• Glass beads may be found at your local dollar shop or online. Glass beads the size of jelly beans provide an excellent substrate for your aquarium. For a medium-sized tank, at least one layer of substrate or 2 inches of glass beads should be used.

3. The air tubing should be connected to the air pump. Connect the air tubing to the air pump after the substrate is in the tank. Use airline tubing to do this. 

• Insert the airline tubing into the air tube so that it dangles a few inches inside. Connect the airline tube to the air pump after that. This will allow you to use the air pump to cycle air into the tank.

Part 3: Adding Water and Cycling the Tank

1. Fill the tank with salt water. Because jellyfish are saltwater species, only salt water should be used in the aquarium. You may either manufacture your saltwater or purchase pre-mixed salt water from your local pet store. To consume, do not use sea salt or salt!

• You may use aquarium salt or ionic salt to produce salt water for your tank. Use bottled water instead than tap water since it includes substances that might hurt your jellyfish. 
• After you’ve added the salt water, use your hand to smooth out the glass beads so they’re evenly distributed around the tank.

2. Connect the LED light and the air pump. Allow at least 12 hours for the tank to run once you’ve done this. The water should clarify from cloudy to clear throughout this period.

• Allowing the tank to cycle before introducing the jellyfish ensures that your new companions stay healthy in their new home.

3. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels should all be checked. Test kits for aquariums are available, allowing you to check the water in the tank for these constituents. Once the tank water has cycled through and appears clean in the tank, you should do this. The test should indicate an increase in ammonia, followed by a decrease in nitrite as the ammonia level falls. As the nitrite level lowers, nitrate will begin to show.

• The ideal ammonia and nitrate levels in the tank are 0.0ppm. Your nitrate levels might be as low as 20ppm. You can add jellyfish to your aquarium after these chemicals have reached these levels.

Part 4: Selecting and Adding Jellyfish

1. A reputable pet supply store is a good place to get jellyfish. You should look for jellyfish-specific online pet supplies retailers that provide a money-back guarantee. Moon jellyfish and blue blubber jellyfish are available at most jellyfish supply stores, but you may also locate additional types for your tank. The jellyfish will be delivered alive in plastic bags to you.

• You may also purchase jellyfish in person at a pet supply store. Check with a salesperson to see if they know anything about the jellyfish they’re offering. You want jellyfish with colorful, healthy-looking tentacles that are already floating and moving in a tank. 
• Moon jellyfish are a kind of jellyfish that thrives in home aquariums. Moon jellyfish are seasonal creatures that survive between 6 to 12 months.

2. Look for jellyfish that are similar in size and diameter. Because your jellyfish tank is a closed system, you don’t want to overcrowd it with jellyfish of varied sizes or too many of them. The larger jellyfish will eventually overtake and overwhelm the smaller jellyfish. The smaller jellies will diminish in size and perform poorly in comparison to the larger jellyfish.

• In addition, you should only buy one type of jellyfish for your aquarium. You may, for example, elect to keep just moon jellyfish or only blue blubber jellyfish in your aquarium. Most jellyfish species do better in a tank alongside other jellyfish species.

3. Slowly acclimate your jellyfish to your tank. Your jellyfish will be delivered in transparent plastic bags. To begin, make sure the tank has been thoroughly cycled and has healthy nitrate levels. After that, you’ll need around 15-30 minutes for each bag of jellyfish to adapt  to their new home.

• For 10 minutes, place the sealed bag of jelly on the surface of your tank. This will assist in bringing the temperature of the water in the bag to that of the tank water. 
• After 10 minutes, unzip the bag and use a clean cup to extract half of the water. Then, fill the bag with tank water, ensuring that the amount of tank water equals the amount of bag water you removed. 
• You may slowly release your jelly into your tank after another 10 minutes. To gently release them, use an aquarium net. Do not pour them into the tank, since this may cause them to become shocked.

4. Make sure your jellyfish in the tank are pulsating and moving. It may take a few hours for your jellyfish to adjust to their new surroundings. Once they are at ease, they will pulse and move around in the tank three to four times each minute.

• Over the following several days, keep an eye on your jellyfish to make sure they’re moving and pulsating freely in your aquarium. 
• Your water temperature may be inaccurate if your jellyfish looks to have turned inside, a phenomenon known as eversion. Jellyfish should be maintained in water with a temperature between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius. To guarantee that your water has the right amounts of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, you may need to modify the temperature and test it again.

Part 5: Caring for the Jellyfish

1. Feed the jellyfish twice a day with live or frozen newborn brine shrimp. Baby brine shrimp can be purchased live or frozen at your local pet store or online. Feeding your jellies twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, is recommended.

• The brine from live shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. To avoid being stung by the jellyfish’s tentacles, you can feed them through a small aperture in the tank. The food should be caught and consumed by the jellyfish on their own. 
• Overfeeding your jellies might cause the water quality in your tank to deteriorate. You may not be able to encourage the smaller jellyfish to develop and stay healthy by overfeeding them if you have smaller and larger jellyfish in the aquarium.

2. Replace 10% of the water in your aquarium once a week. Once a week, perform a 10% water change in your tank to keep the water quality good. This indicates that 10% of the water will be replaced with new salt water.

• After each water change, make sure to examine the quality of the water. The salinity level should be between 34-55 ppt, which is the same as natural saltwater. You should also check that the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in the tank are proper.

3. Jellyfish that have grown too large for the aquarium should be removed. Your jellyfish should be able to reach a healthy size with proper care. Only keep a few jellyfish in your aquarium at a time to avoid overpopulation. If your jellyfish appear to be outgrowing their tank or your tank appears to be congested, you may need to remove one of them. To do this, do not release the jellyfish into the wild by releasing them into the ocean or another body of water. This is against the law and endangers the jellyfish’s life.

• Instead, you should contact the vendor from whom you purchased the jellyfish to arrange for a new home or caregiver.

Common health issues in Jellyfish

Shrinking: When jellyfish are shrinking (or just not growing) it is generally due to poor water quality in the aquarium. Jellyfish will not feed properly while the water quality is low, so this can lead to them not growing properly. Overcrowding the aquarium can also contribute to poor water quality.

Conclusion

If you adore jellyfish, your wait for the opportunity to keep these fascinating animals as pets is now ended. Jellyfish may now be kept as pets in your own house thanks to the creation of specialized circular aquariums. Pet jellyfish can live for several years if they are properly cared for and fed. So, what are you waiting for? Your dream of having a pet jellyfish can easily come true!

FAQ

Q: How long do jellyfish live for?

A: Jellyfish have a wide range of life expectancies, depending on the species. Moon Jellyfish are the most generally accessible kind for keeping as a pet jellyfish (Aurelia Aurita). Moon Jellyfish may survive for 12 to 15 months if kept in the right aquarium. Other jellyfish, such as blue blubber jellies, have a shorter lifespan of 6 to 9 months, but Sea Nettles can live for many years.

Q: Is it difficult to keep jellyfish?

A: Keeping any animal necessitates learning about the fundamental requirements for keeping it healthy, and jellyfish are no exception. Jellyfish require a little more effort than a standard goldfish because they are a more delicate saltwater creature, but they are easier to keep than much other saltwater fish.

Q: How much work is needed in maintenance?

A: It’s fairly straightforward once you’ve got it set up. Aside from daily feeding, you should do a small clean once a week and change 10% of the water once a week. A full clean should be conducted every 6 months, including cleaning the interior filter sponge.

Q: What do Jellyfish eat?

A: Jellyfish eat plankton in the wild. There are a variety of jellyfish-specific powdered feeds available from aquarium retailers for home jellyfish tanks. Exotic Aquaculture, our livestock partner, produces food that should be accessible through most Cubic stockists. In addition, hatched juvenile brine shrimp feed well to jellyfish, and many more experienced hobbyists utilize this as a supplement to  powered food.

Q. How often do jellyfish need to be fed?

A: Your jellyfish should be fed at least once a day, but we find that many tiny feedings work best.