How to Start a Jellyfish Tank

Jellyfish are attractive ornamental fish tank pets. Their captivating forms and relaxing movements transform them into living works of art. You may have exotic jellyfish anywhere in your home, even on your desk, with the appropriate arrangement. It does, however, necessitate a lot more consideration than simply setting up a conventional aquarium, because jellyfish are sensitive animals that require a specific tank environment to survive.

Selecting the Tank

Look for an aquarium tank that is modest to medium in size.

1. You may keep your jellyfish in a clean and sterile aquarium tank. You could keep only one to three little jellyfish in a small aquarium that fits on your desk at work or at home. You might also go with a medium-sized aquarium tank that can house a larger number of jellyfish. Look for a tank that is either circular or tall and narrow.
2. A circular tank with a flat base is perfect since the form allows your jellyfish to float in the tank water. This is critical for your jellyfish’s health and pleasure.

Purchase a jellyfish tank kit.

1. Another alternative is to purchase a tank kit designed exclusively for jellyfish. These tanks are small, usually circular in shape, and can house one to three little jellyfish. You may even acquire tall, thin tanks to house more jellyfish. Jellyfish tank kits are available online or at your local pet store.
2. Keep in mind that jellyfish tank kits are not inexpensive, with prices ranging from $350 to $600. To save money on your setup, you may try using an aquarium tank instead.

Gather the remaining materials.

1. Most jellyfish tank kits include everything you need to get started. If you are keeping your jellyfish in a fish aquarium, you will need to buy the following items:
2. An air compressor
3. A filter plate for under gravel
4. A tube of air
5. Tubing for aeroplanes
6. Substrate for the tank’s bottom, such as glass beads
7. LED lighting
8. Remote control with LEDs (optional)

Setting Up the Tank

Locate a flat, elevated area that does not receive direct sunlight.

1. Jellyfish thrive in low-light conditions. Place the tank in a flat, raised area of your home or business that does not receive direct sunlight and is not close to any heat sources or electrical equipment.
2. A low table in a dark corner of your home or the top of a desk will suffice. You could also acquire a little raised wooden stand and place the tank on top of it for your home or business.

Install the filter plate and the air tubing.

1. Connect the filter plates and insert the air tube through the middle of the filter plates. Depending on the filter plates you purchase, they may come in multiple small pieces or one to two bigger pieces. The air tube should be placed in the centre of the tank so that it can circulate air throughout the tank.
2. To make one of the plates fit with the others, you may need to cut one side off. This can be done using scissors or an X-ACTO knife.
3. In the tank, place the filter plate and the air tubing. When you slip the plates in, they should cover the bottom of the tank and fit snugly.

Insert the substrate.

1. The substrate will help to conceal the filter plates in the tank. Instead of sand or gravel, you should use glass beads. Gravel can be dangerous to your jellyfish. Place the beads into the tank by hand to avoid breaking or nicking the tank.
2. Glass beads can be found at your local dollar store or online. Glass beads the size of jelly beans make an excellent substrate for your aquarium. For a medium-sized tank, you should add at least one layer of substrate or 2 inches of glass beads.

Join the air tubing and the air pump.

1. After placing the substrate in the tank, attach the air tubing to the air pump. Make use of the airline tubing for this.
2. Insert the airline tubing into the air tube, allowing it to dangle a few inches inside. The airline tube should then be connected to the air pump. This will allow you to use the air pump to cycle air into the tank.

Adding Water and Cycling the Tank

Fill the tank with salt water.

1. Because jellyfish are saltwater animals, the tank should only contain salt water. You can prepare your own salt water from sea salt or purchase pre-mixed salt water from your local pet store. You should not consume sea salt or salt!
2. You can use aquarium salt or ionic salt to make salt water for your tank. Make sure there are no large chunks of salt in the water before dissolving the salt crystals in reverse-osmosis filtered water or distilled water. Tap water contains substances that are potentially dangerous to your jellyfish.
3. Smooth the glass beads with your hand once the salt water has been added.

Connect the air pump and LED light.

1. After that, you should leave the tank running for at least 12 hours. The water should clear from cloudy to clear throughout this period.
2. Some jellyfish tank owners may immediately add the jellyfish to the tank and then perform daily water changes. The water changes to aid in keeping the ammonia levels in the tank under control. However, allowing the tank to cycle before introducing the jellyfish will guarantee that your new friends remain healthy in their aquarium.

Check the amounts of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

1. You can get aquarium test kits that will allow you to test the tank water for these elements. This should be done after the tank water has cycled through and seems clear. The test should indicate an increase in ammonia, followed by a decrease in nitrite as the ammonia level decreases. As the nitrite level lowers, nitrate will begin to show.
2. The tank should ideally contain ammonia and nitrate levels of 0.0ppm. You may have lower nitrate levels, possibly as low as 20ppm. Once these compounds have reached certain quantities, you can add jellyfish to your aquarium.

Selecting and Adding Jellyfish

Purchase jellyfish from a reputable pet store.

1. Look for online pet supply businesses that specialise in jellyfish and provide a money-back guarantee.
2. Most jellyfish supply stores sell moon jellyfish or blue blubber jellyfish, but more species are available for your tank. The jellyfish will be sent to you in plastic bags while still alive.
3. Alternatively, you can purchase jellyfish in person at a pet store. Speak with a sales representative to confirm that they are knowledgeable about the jellyfish they are offering. You want to buy jellyfish that are already floating and moving in a tank, with bright, healthy tentacles. Pet supply stores frequently offer a section dedicated to jellyfish and other sea creatures. Moon jellyfish are the most successful in home aquariums. Moon jellyfish are seasonal creatures that survive between 6 to 12 months.

Look for jellyfish with similar diameters and sizes.

1. Because your jellyfish tank is a closed system, you don’t want to overcrowd it with jellyfish of varied sizes. The larger jellyfish will eventually outgrow and overpower the smaller jellies. The smaller jellies will then diminish in size and perform poorly in comparison to the larger jellies.
2. You should also purchase only one type of jellyfish for your tank. You could, for example, decide to keep just moon jellyfish or blue blubber jellyfish in your aquarium. Most jellyfish species do better when kept together in the same aquarium.

Slowly introduce your jellyfish to your tank.

1. The jellyfish will be delivered in clear plastic bags. To begin, ensure that the tank has been completely cycled and has healthy nitrate levels. After that, it will take roughly 15-30 minutes per bag of jellyfish to adapt your new companions to their aquarium.
2. For 10 minutes, place the sealed bag of jelly on the surface of your tank. This will assist in bringing the water in the bag up to the temperature of the tank water.
3. After 10 minutes, open the bag and use a clean cup to extract half of the water. Then, add tank water to the bag, making sure that the amount of tank water equals the amount of bag water removed.
4. After another ten minutes, softly pour your jelly into your tank. To gently release them, use an aquarium net. They may be shocked if you dump them into the tank.

Check to see whether your jellyfish are pulsating and moving around in the tank.

1. 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 in the tank three to four times each minute.
2. Over the next few days, keep an eye on your jellyfish to verify they are moving and pulsing freely in your aquarium.
3. Your water temperature may be inaccurate if your jellyfish looks to have turned inside, a phenomenon known as eversion. Jellyfish should be kept in water temperatures ranging from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius.
4. You may need to change your water temperature and test it again to confirm that it contains the right levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

Caring for the Jellyfish

Feed the jellyfish twice a day with live or frozen newborn brine shrimp.

1. Baby brine shrimp can be purchased live or frozen at your local pet store or online. Your jellies should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
2. The brine of live shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. To avoid being hurt by the jellyfish’s tentacles, feed them through a small aperture in the tank. The jellyfish should be able to catch and consume the food on their own.

Do not overfeed your jellies, as this may degrade the tank’s water quality.

1. If you have both smaller and larger jellyfish in the tank, you may find it difficult to encourage the smaller ones to grow.

Perform a weekly 10% water change.

1. A 10% water change once a week is recommended to maintain healthy water quality in your tank. This means you will discard 10% of the water and replace it with new salt water.
2. Always test the water quality after every water change. The salinity level should be between 34 to 55 ppt, which is near to that of real saltwater. You should also check the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in the tank.

Remove any jellyfish that have grown too large for the tank.

1. Your jellyfish should grow to a healthy size if properly cared for. You can avoid overcrowding by keeping only a few jellyfish in your aquarium at a time. If your jellyfish appear to outgrow their tank or if your tank appears to be congested, you may need to remove one of them. To accomplish this, do not release the jellyfish into the wild through the ocean or another body of water. This is prohibited and endangers the jellyfish’s life.
2. Instead, contact the vendor from whom you purchased the jellyfish to arrange for a new home or caretaker for the jellyfish.