Blue Jellyfish, ID, sys.  1/14/10
Hello I would like to first start off by saying I am a newfound lover of the marine aquarium hobby. I love it and have proceeded rather quickly at it as well...
<Welcome to our wonderful, seemingly all-encompassing avocation>
I have had several fishes die unfortunately due to a very fast start and learned my lesson. I am the owner of 3 tanks and have put in a fourth tank containing blue jellyfish. My jellyfish are using matured water from my another stable system, ammonia and nitrites at 0. They are running right now a cascade filter. 25 gallon tank with a 50 gallon cascade. I want to know several things, right now I cant get my camera to work but would like to send you pictures for ID as to know if they sting/swim or what not.
<And I will in turn send them on to friend Jim Stime of Jelliquarium for his help>
Next I need to know what kind of filtration needs they might have, further than the cascade that is. I can get several items as I have a pretty good supplier, but I do live in Costa Rica,
<Ahh! I have visited there a few times... San Jose, the Guanacaste area, even out to Limon. A great, progressive country in my estimation>
so availability and pricing are not the best. Also my jellyfish which I have had for a day seem to float at the top of the tank, right at the water level. I want to know why they stay at the top, they seem to be able to swim when they want to, they just choose to stay at the top. Not stuck in a corner because they move when they want to, just there. Is it lack of circulation, what can I use to correct this?
<Am going to send this letter on to JimS and have him respond. He knows MUCH more than I re these jellies practical husbandry>
Please let me know as I have several species here that I really like and I have had a hand pick selection including a wartskin angler that I need ID on (black with orange dots and rock colored spotting), I think commerson frogfish or maybe fancy frogfish, clown trigger,
<!? A bruiser.>
Humu Humu and a few others. Please help me with these jellyfish quickly so they can survive, I can get them Artemia to start, I have some actually. Then if you can help me with the rest I would like that as well but the others are doing fine now, its the jellies I'm worried about.
Thanks for your time.
<Jim, please respond directly and back to me. Bob Fenner>

Re: Blue Jellyfish, hlth.    1/14/10
What is a bruiser?
<The Clown Trigger!>
The black frogfish I asked you about? Anyways I'm really worried about the jellies, 2 are now at the bottom of the tank and 2 are at the top of the tank just floating, I dont think I see them moving, I might be wrong. They look slimy. like they are releasing some slime I mean... can you please help me so I can see if I can get them to be ok?
<How? Sans pix or data? Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/jellyfishfaqs.htm
and the linked files above>
Also do you have time to just look at the pictures of my fish and help me identify them?
<... perhaps>
I would really appreciate that. Oh, one more thing, how do you feel about yellow frilly scorpion fish?
<See WWM re>
worth $500 (and keep in mind that fish are expensive here, $200 for my clown triggerfish, and that was wholesale, $300 at the aquariums). What else can you tell me so I dont get myself stuck in the predicament I am in right now with the jellyfish. I dont want these animals to die, first and foremost I love sea creatures and dont want to kill them, second of all I spent a hundred bucks a pop for these jellies. help please....
ps.. I appreciate you looking out for assistance so you can help me better. Thank you and your friend.
<? Keep reading. BobF>

Re: Blue Jellyfish   1/16/10
Hello Xavierhe and Bob
>> containing blue jellyfish. <<
Most likely Catostylus mosaicus or the Blue Blubber
>> They are running right now a cascade filter. 25 gallon tank with a 50 gallon cascade. <<
What is a cascade filter?
>> if they sting/swim or what not. <<
In my experience I have NOT felt any sting, but I am sure they have some ability. Best to use gloves when handling any jellyfish
>> Next I need to know what kind of filtration needs they might have, further than the cascade that is. <<
Simple standard biological filtration, similar to a regular aquarium. I see a competitor of mine is using a simple bowl/ sphere with an undergravel filter.
>> I can get several items as I have a pretty good supplier, but I do live in Costa Rica, <<
These are OK to start with but I do not know of anyone who has had long term success with these. Generally if you can keep them for six months you will have done well. It is believed that they are photosynthetic and their mouths receive their food via 'radial canals' within each of those 'lobed' tentacles. This I believe means its very small food items, possibly copepods. I have tried several times to keep these jellies myself, all without success.
>> Also my jellyfish which I have had for a day seem to float at the top of the tank, right at the water level. <<
Assuming you just received the jellies its possible they have not acclimated to your salinity, hence they are buoyant.
Personally I am avoiding the tropical species due to their difficulty and working with the temperate Moon and Sea Nettle species.
Jim Stime, jr
805-241-7140
Aquarium Design - Installation and Maintenance
MyFishTank.com - Acrylic Aquariums and Quality Aquarium Furniture
Midwater Systems - JELLIQUARIUM Jellyfish Display Systems
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Thanks much Jim. Hey, are you thinking of attending Interzoo this year? Can you maybe even slide in a week ahead of the May event to do a bit of diving in the Red Sea?
BobF
Re: Blue Jellyfish
Hi Bob, going to one of those shows would be awesome, especially going to the Red Sea... but I really cant afford to take time off work ( I backed out of that free trip to Kona this month and I am doing out-of-town jobs to fill in for the locals I've lost ) and I don't scuba, yet... but I heard from a service customer who went there and snorkeled and saw lots of stuff.
Jim Stime, jr
<Ah my friend. Remember years ago my urging you to take off at least once a quarter... I do hope we both live long enough to get out MUCH more often. Cheers, BobF>

Is Brown Jelly Disease between LPS only, or can it be carried into your system on a Softie as well ? -- 10/02/08 <Mmm, strictly speaking, the latter> Hello. Quick question for you. I was going to meet another reefer tonight to swap some zoo frags, and possibly swap a LPS. I was looking for pictures of his tank on a local forum, and found that he had a problem with Brown Jelly about 2 weeks ago on one of his large wall hammers, that killed off about 85% of it. <Yeeikes> Should I cancel the trade of the zoos with him or can a soft coral not carry the bacteria into my tank? <I would either cancel, or plan on isolating any newcomers for a few to several weeks... running them through a slightly depressed (a thousandth or two) spg... and iodine/ide treatment/bath enroute> Should I definitely keep away from trading any LPS and Softies as well with him ? <Anything in the tank, the water itself, could be a "carrier" of hyperinfective agents> How contagious is Brown Jelly between healthy corals if a coral comes from a tank that recently lost a coral to Brown Jelly? <Can be devastating to not so> I know....my bad, but I don't have a Quarantine set up. Thanks! Pam <You've answered the question then... I would put the money instead into/towards this new set up. Bob Fenner>