Frequently Asked Question

Salinity is a measure of the amount of dissolved salts (ions) in the water. Salinity is a very important water parameter to monitor. The traditional way to express salinity is in parts per thousand (ppt) or specific gravity (SG). The Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) we breed in our aquaculture facility thrive at a salinity of 30 ppt (parts per thousand). Normal seawater is about 35 ppt, while freshwater is near 0 ppt.

• You can measure the salinity by using a hydrometer and refractometer which are available from our shop (links), or a digital refractometer if you would like more accurate reading (https://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-Salinity-Tester-HI98319/dp/B07SW89GVP).

• Use Reverse-Osmosis (RO) or Distilled water without added vitamins or minerals.

• Grocery stores, superstores such as Wal-Mart and pharmacies

• Read the label! Most labels will tell you how the water is filtered. Make sure to choose water without added minerals.

• You can also purchase “ready for use” seawater from aquarium shops.

• Because jellyfish are made up of 95% water, saltwater in their environment should stay constant. Water is constantly moving through the thin cell membranes of jellyfish because of a process called osmosis. Therefore, it is important to stay within the salinity range to avoid shock.

• Exposure to any type of extreme change in salinity rapidly will shock your jellyfish and potentially cause harm. To avoid shock during water changes, the new saltwater should be the same salinity as the current aquarium water.

•Clean, pure saltwater is the most important component needed for maintaining healthy jellyfish. When mixing saltwater DO NOT USE TAP WATER, natural ocean water or water with added vitamins / minerals. This will immediately void any Arrive Alive Claims! Instead please use Reverse-Osmosis (RO) or Distilled water without added vitamins or minerals. Jellyfish do well in salinity between 30 – 33 ppt / 1.023 – 1.025. The ideal temperature varies between species. They are shown on the individual jellyfish pages.

• Use a clean, “aquarium-use” only 1-gallon water jug or 5-gallon bucket as your mixing container to avoid introducing contaminants into your water.

• Fill the container with the proper amount of Reverse Osmosis (RO)/ Distilled water.

• Begin stirring the water before adding salt then slowly add the salt while continuing to stir. (Salt can get hot do not touch)

• Allow time for the new saltwater to come to room temperature so as to match the temperature of the tank water. It is best to let this mixed continuously by using a water pump or air pump overnight in the same room as the aquariu.

• Measure the salinity of the water with your hydrometer and adjust if it is out of range. Be sure to flick or tap the hydrometer to remove any bubbles from the reader’s arm as bubbles can give an inaccurate reading. If you are having constant problems with salinity, consider investing in a refractometer or a digital salinity checker which are more accurate than a hydrometer.

• It is never a bad idea to have extra mixed saltwater on hand. Once mixed, it can be stored as long as needed in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid.

Before introducing jellyfish into your aquarium, your aquarium needs to be cycled. A cycled aquarium means that the aquarium has enough nitrifying bacteria living in it to break down toxic ammonia into non-toxic nitrate. There is a good article about the

nitrification cycle here https://aqualabaquaria.com/blogs/aquarium-basics/cycling-an-aquarium-why-it-matters-and-how-to-do-it.

You can also use a bacteria starter to speed up this process. We recommend using API quick start (https://apifishcare.com/product/quick-start). This product allows you to introduce the jellyfish into your aquarium immediately after the aquarium is set up. Please follow the instruction from the manufacturer’s website.

After arriving at your doorstep, jellyfish must be gradually introduced to their new home since water conditions in the shipping bag (such as salinity, temperature and pH) may be different from those inside your aquarium.

Rushing the acclimation process will shock your jellyfish and potentially cause harm.

• On arrival, it is best to open your box and remove the bag containing the jellyfish. Place this bag next to the aquarium and allow it to sit for 1-2 hours. This will allow the water in the bag to very slowly adjust to room temperature before proceeding! After this time has passed then you may continue with the following acclimation steps.

• Rinse your hands thoroughly with fresh water each time you come into contact with your aquarium. DO NOT use soap. Any chemical that maybe on your hands can be easily transferred into your aquarium. Hand sanitizers, soaps, and lotions can be detrimental to your jellyfish even in very small amounts.

• Designate a cup or container to be used solely for aquarium maintenance. This means that every single time that you remove water or remove the jellyfish; it should be done with this contain
er. A cup or container that is not designated as “aquarium-use” only could be contaminated in such a way that it could harm jellyfish, such as soap residue from washing.

• After receiving your package ofjellyfish, open it and verify the contents of the package. Note the condition of the ice packs and the package’s appearance overall.

• We ask that you take and save a picture of your jellyfish SEALED in the bag in which they arrived. Picture quality does help us in the event that you may need to use our jellyfish 10-day Arrive Alive Guarantee.
Even if your jellyfish appear in rough shape or lifeless, proceed with acclimation as instructed. Jellyfish have an amazing ability to recover and regenerate in the correct conditions.

• If it appears that your ice packs have ruptured during transit, please rinse the outside of the bags thoroughly with fresh water before proceeding.

• It is important to think ahead for any potential spills that may happen. It is a good idea to have a hand towel or paper towel nearby. A large, clean bowl can be used to work over the steps of getting the jellyfish out of the shipping bag to avoid any kind of spillage.

1. Jellyfish arrive in an insulated shipping container. Ensure that the caretaker is available to receive the jellyfish shipment. Tracking information for shipments is sent via email to the purchaser. Acclimate jellyfish as soon as possible within 6 hours. Take a picture of the jellyfish within the bag upon arrival. Remove jellyfish bags from the insulated packaging. Allow the jellyfish bag to adjust to the room temperature in which the aquarium is housed before proceeding with acclimation. Do not tear the outermost plastic bag; this was included in your shipment to be used as the acclimation bag.

2. Place the smaller bags with the jellyfish inside into the larger acclimation bag. With caution, open the top of the bags large enough for the jellies to be removed safely, and lightly turn the smaller bags upside-down to release the jellyfish into the larger acclimation bag. Once the jellyfish are inside the larger acclimation bag, the acclimation process can begin.

3. Discard approximately half of the water the jellyfish had been shipped in. Be careful not to pour out any jellyfish! Ensure that you have added a dose of bacteria starter to your aquarium and that it has been running with saltwater for at least 4-6 weeks before acclimating your jellyfish. Use the feeding pipette to remove visible air bubbles that may be stuck to the walls of the tank. Use your hydrometer to verify your salinity is within ranges.

4. It is Important to remove enough water from your aquarium so that it does not overflow when placing the acclimation bag full of jellyfish at the top of the aquarium. Roll down the edges of the acclimation bag to help keep it oriented. At this point you can float the jellyfish bag within the tank. DO NOT release the jellyfish immediately. Jellyfish must slowly acclimate to their new aquarium’s water conditions.

5. Add 1/4 of a cup of system water into the acclimation bag. Be careful that air bubbles don’t get trapped within or underneath jellyfish when pouring. Air bubbles that get stuck under a jellyfish can result in a hole developing in their tissue.
Pouring water down the side of the acclimation bag close to the water level will help reduce bubbles that could be introduced during the acclimation process.

6. Repeat this process of adding a small amount of system water into the acclimation bag every 10 minutes for at least one hour. This will allow the jellyfish to slowly adjust to their new aquarium’s water chemistry. Rushing the acclimation process will shock your jellyfish and potentially cause harm.

7. Submerge the acclimation bag in the aquarium and allow jellyfish to swim out. Any water removed during step 4 can be added back into the aquarium to adjust the water level of your aquarium.

8. The jellyfish may swim and pulse slowly or not at all for the first 24-72 hours while acclimating to their new home. They may also float or sink depending on any potential salinity differences. This is normal.

9. The jellyfish can be fed 24 hours after acclimation. There should never be excessive amounts of food at the bottom of the aquarium. It is very important to not overfeed and keep the aquarium clean and free of uneaten food/debris to promote good water chemistry.

**During the first two weeks after acclimation of your jellyfish, we recommend that you feed your jellyfish lightly and utilize the Target/Spot Feeding method. We suggest checking the ammonia levels daily for 2 weeks to ensure that ammonia stays at 0ppm – 0.25ppm.

We recommend feeding jellyfish with live baby brine shrimps. There are some powdered jellyfish food available which can grow jellyfish but they tend to sink to the bottom of the aquarium and uneaten food can pollute the water quickly. The extra cleaning and water changes could end up with more jobs than hatching live brine shrimps. To hatch artemia, we recommend to use Hobby Artemia Hatchery (https://hobby-aquaristik.com/EN/21700/artemia-hatchery)

Jellyfish need to be kept in aquariums specially designed for keeping jellyfish. You can purchase from the suppliers below.

https://www.cubicaquarium.com/

https://www.jellyfishart.com/

https://jellyfishwarehouse.com/

https://www.sunsetmarinelab.com/

Or, you can DIY by following the instructions shown in the video below.
(youtube video link)

We recommend using our jellyfish salt (link), or any aquarium salt from well known aquarium brands such as Redsea, Instant Ocean or Tropic Marine.

We recommend a 20% water change every week to keep your tank looking crystal clear.

No.

Understandably, we are concerned about the welfare of our animals. Many people do not understand that a specialized tank with proper filtration is necessary to responsibly keep jellyfish as pets. Therefore, to guard against misinformed purchases of live animals online, we reserve the right to cancel any live jellyfish order at our discretion.

All live animal sales are to be inspected immediately upon receipt. If you feel you have received an animal that is not healthy, or is not alive, you must notify us within 12 hours from the time of delivery to be considered for a refund. Notification should be in writing via email including a picture of the animal in question anda description of the problem. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you do not understand our refund policy, it is your responsibility to correspond with us prior to placing an order for full clarification.