Home Jellyfish Aquarium
Being a very delicate creature it cannot survive in an ordinary fish tank. There are many characteristics of the jellyfish which make it very difficult to keep it captivity. Devoid of a skeletal structure and muscles, it depends on the current in the water to keep itself afloat and to float around. It has absolutely no power to move on its own and therefore the home jellyfish aquarium will require an equipment which will create a gentle circulation of water in the tank. The flow should not be too fast or the jellyfish will collide on the walls of the tank and injure itself. The circulation of the water should also be in a particular way, so that the jellyfish does not get sucked into any of the vents. The shape and design of the tank will also matter and many prefer a circular tank known as a Kriesel. There are other types of jellyfish tanks available in pet shops and one can decide on the tank, after considering the type of jellyfish, that one wants.
This brings to us to the next question as to what types of jellyfish are ideal for a home jellyfish aquarium. There are two varieties that are very popular; the moon jellyfish and the upside down jellyfish. Both these types are seawater jellyfish, and so, one has to be careful to have the right pH and salinity of the water in the tank. Out of the two, the upside down jellyfish requires a cooler temperature of water. The temperature should be ideally in the range of 12 to 18 degrees celsius, and if the house is in a warm place, a refrigerating unit will be required to keep the water cool in the tank. The moon jelly is a bit more tougher and can survive in slightly higher temperatures and the home jellyfish aquarium could be in a part of the house that is cool.
Lighting also plays an important role in a home jellyfish aquarium. The upside down jellyfish lives in a symbiotic relationship with algae and hence will need stronger light for the algae to carry out photosynthesis. Some people like to have lights in different colors so that the jellyfish will look like its glowing.
Most jellyfish feed on micro plankton in the oceans, but the captive ones are known to prefer brine shrimp. You might run out of supply of this shrimp, so many experts advise to have a separate tank which breeds the shrimp.
You can find more info on a Jellyfish Aquariums and how to keep Jellyfish in our Jellyfish Pets page, all you wanted to know about this fascinating creatures is on our site.
Jellyfish Art is the leader in supplying live jellyfish and their specialized aquariums and products, click here to learn more about Jellyfish Art.
Learn more about Jellyfish, different Jellyfish Species, general Jellyfish Information, Jellyfish Pets and Jellyfish Safety
Written by Nathan Dickerson and Sudarsana Sinha.