# Fresh water jellyfish



## goldfishboy (Jul 13, 2004)

I was fishing a lake wed. and I kept seeing what looked liked jelly fish so got afew with my fishtank net and took them home and it turns out they are freshwater jelly fish so cool any one ever see these before ? And how what would I feed them thanks jb
Are there any species of jellyfish that could live in freshwater tanks?
By Jeremy Gosnell


Q. I was wondering if there is any species of jellyfish that could live in freshwater. I think jellyfish aquariums are really neat, but I only have a freshwater tank.
Janet Biggar
Eerie, IN

A. Yes, there are jellyfish that inhabit freshwater. The species I am most familiar with is Craspedacusta sowerbyi. They are a freshwater jellyfish that inhabit nearly all continents, but they are very rare in Africa. The United States did not report any of these animals until 1908. As of February 2000, they had been reported in 43 of the 50 states. These animals are freshwater cnidarians that inhabit lakes, reservoirs and even man-made basins like flooded rock quarries. Although these animals are very ecologically diverse, they tend to prefer calmer water, in a reservoir or lake to the rough and turbulent environment of a river. 

Sadly, I dont know of any person who has kept C. sowerbyi in a home aquarium, and I dont know of any fish outlet that would sell the animal. Being such a specialized animal, it is hard for me to recommend any aquarium necessities for it. I do know these jellyfish tend to lie on the bottom of whatever water body they occupy, conserving their energy for prey capture and reproduction. 

Freshwater jellyfish typically eat zooplankton from the water column. Using their nemocysts, they sting prey in the water, stunning it and allowing for easy entry into the animals body. These jellyfish have also adapted well for cold water. During colder months, the animals close up and become nearly dormant until water temperatures rise. 

From what I have read, freshwater jellyfish are very difficult to keep in the home aquarium. One thing to do is to make sure you have a filtration system that will not suck the jellyfish up into the filter. My assumption is that sponge filters would work best. Also, make sure you do not have a strong current moving through the aquarium. The main point to make note of is jellyfish require a constant food source; brine shrimp and Daphnia are highly recommended.

Other than that, I cannot find much information about keeping freshwater jellyfish. My guess is not many people are keeping jellyfish, and those that are likely shoot for the marine animals as opposed to those found in freshwater. One nice point about C. sowerbyi is they lack nemocysts strong enough to pierce human skin. In that regard, they are somewhat safer than their marine cousins.


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

How are yours doing John? So far so good with mine! I'll dedicate a tank to just them and see what happens. Take care, BC


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Id like to see pictures if you could. Ive never heard of a fresh water jelly. That is neat!


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## Fishingislife (May 20, 2004)

beaver said:


> Id like to see pictures if you could. Ive never heard of a fresh water jelly. That is neat!


No way to take pictures and be able to see them..... They are crystal clear, atleast mine are.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Several years ago I belonged to a gun club in hillsville, pa. It had a quarry in back called crystal lake. I used to snorkel in it because of the crystal clear water. I'd see them in there all the time(and some huge walleye too). Well I told a few guys one night at trap shoot. Of course the loud mouth of the group called me a liar and gave me the Nick name of "jellyfish man" I didn't care, but it started to get to me after a while. So, I took a clear jar with me next time I snorkled and caught one, I showed it to loud mouth infront of all his PBR drinking buddies. Never called me "jellyfish man" again. I guess the moral of the story is, yep they are
real, mine weren't crystal clear, kinda milky colored. But they are neat.


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

laurel river lake in Kentucky has them. pretty cool. water has to be pretty clean for them to exist, I hear.


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

A few years ago there was a story in the Columbus dispatch about freshwater jelly fish in some of the quarrys aroound Marble Cliff.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

The Quary at Nelsons Ledges Quary Park has Freshwater Jellyfish


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## tvfisherman (Apr 16, 2004)

I've never seen them in Ohio but the lake we used to fish up in Canada had tons of them. It's a deep, clean, blackwater lake and you would just drift through thousands of them it spots. They weren't very big, only about the size of a dime I'd say, but I thought they were pretty cool.


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

Dollar lake in Akron (near long lake) had tons of them. You could easily see them from the boat, often less than a foot below the surface. I doubt that they are in there anymore since the lake was screwed up by building around it and letting large warehouses and parking lots drain into it.


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Some of the deep water pits have them in Mahoning. Pretty cool to watch them swimn under your boat.


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

goldfishboy said:


> I was fishing a lake wed. and I kept seeing what looked liked jelly fish so got afew with my fishtank net and took them home and it turns out they are freshwater jelly fish so cool any one ever see these before ? And how what would I feed them thanks jb
> Are there any species of jellyfish that could live in freshwater tanks?
> By Jeremy Gosnell
> 
> ...


yes there is look them up on the net you can report them ...there not very big about the size of a ping pong ball


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

pretty cool indeed..you learn some good stuff on this site


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

It's all new to me! Awesome!


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## Buick Riviera (Jul 15, 2007)

You learn something new everyday. I'm 60 years old and never heard of them until today.  Thanks!

Buick


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## trojan20 (Jan 18, 2010)

hey thats pretty cool. didnt know that


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## lakota (Oct 28, 2009)

I have heard of them but have never seen any. How big are they?
Quarter size?
Off topic but a few years ago I sat through a lecture at the Geauga County fair and the speaker had all kinds of aquatic critters to show and one of them was a fresh water sponge.


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## teamelite2004 (Jan 6, 2009)

do they reproduce in your fishtanks?


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

those sure are crystal clear


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## ouflyboy9 (Aug 12, 2008)

that really cool - you never know what you'll read/see in the lounge


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