Pacific Sea Nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens)

The Pacific sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens), or West Coast sea nettle, is a gorgeous jellyfish found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico. Pacific sea nettles have a distinctive golden-brown bell with a reddish tint. The bell can grow to be larger than one meter (three feet) in diameter in the wild, though most are less than 50 cm across. The long, spiraling, white oral arms and the 24 undulating maroon tentacles may trail behind as far as 15 feet (4.6 m). For humans, its sting is often irritating, but rarely dangerous. Chrysaora fuscescens has proven to be very popular for display at public aquariums due to their bright orange to brown bells and beautiful white oral arms, and because they are relatively easy to grow under captivity.

Species Information

• Harmful to humans: Partially – Stings from captive bred species are usually undetectable, however may cause irritation to those with sensitive skin
• Distribution: Pacific coast from Mexico to Canada
• Maximum Bell Size: 50 cm (20 inches)
• Life Span: 2-3 years
• Feeding:  Fish eggs and larvae, live brine shrimp, gelatinous zooplankton
• Temperature: 13 – 18°C (55 – 64°F)
• Photosynthetic: No
• Care level: Medium

Notes: The main prey in the wild is small crustaceans, which makes them relatively easy species to grow in captivity. Although, they prefer to feed on gelatinous plankton over crustaceans. In recent years, the animal has become extremely plentiful off the coast of Oregon, in the United States.