Keeping jellyfish as pets - Jellyfish Aquarium

Wed, Nov 4th 2009, 11:52

Keeping jellyfish as pets is hard work and only recommended for experienced aquarium owners. The needs of pet jellyfish are very different to other aquarium fish.

Keeping jellyfish as pets is becoming popular though it is still difficult to buy jellyfish as most aquarium suppliers to not stock jellyfish aquarium supplies.

Jellyfish are very delicate creatures with flimsy gelatinous bodies. One of the considerations when keeping jellyfish as pets is to ensure that they do not get damaged in the aquarium tank. Jellyfish float in the currents to get around so a square or rectangular tank with corners is dangerous for jellyfish as they can become trapped in the corners. They also get sucked up into the aquarium pump so a special jellyfish aquarium water pump system is essential.

Jellyfish need a flow of water for them to get around and get into contact with their prey. It is important that your jellyfish aquarium has a circular current. Certain species of jellyfish also need an upward current to prevent them from getting stuck at the bottom.

Jellyfish are very sensitive to external conditions. Each species requires a specific temperature range and your jellyfish aquarium will probably need a refrigeration system to prevent your pet jellyfish from becoming overheated.

The biggest job when keeping jellyfish as pets is keeping up production of food for your jellyfish. Standard commercial aquarium food is not suitable for your jellyfish pets. Jellies need live food, so the most suitable solution is to run a brine shrimp hatchery on the side. This is a daily task, hatching the shrimp which need to incubate for 24 hours at a fixed temperature. Hatched shrimp need to be separated from their shells before being fed to the jellies.

It is no easy task to maintain a jellyfish aquarium. You need to know and understand the specific needs of jellyfish and be disciplined about maintaining the right environment for these creatures. Always seek professional advice before embarking on a project to keep jellyfish as pets.

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