Jason Watts - Cassiopeia Xamachana - Upside Down Jellyfish

"After modifing this 3 gallon tank to generate a circular flow (kreisel), I raised a culture of brine shrimp in it to see how well the design worked. I was very pleased with the result. later that week, while getting dry goods from the local fish shop, I saw a bowl shaped tank with Upside Down Jellyfish polyps and ephyras. These had come in to the shop as hitch hikers. These ephyra ended up killing the sea horses housed in the bowl. I asked the owner if she would part with a few. As I hoped to raise them through their life cycle.

"Adult jellies (medusae) reproduce sexually resulting in larva (or planula). After a period of drifting, the planula will settle on any and evey available surface becoming a stationary polyp that can clone itself. Each polyp, resembling aptasia anemonies, will begin to bud-off a small, free swimming medsua called a ephyra.

"Four little ephyras came home with me that night. Six more were to follow the next day. It's been three weeks now and all ten are with me and growing fast. The largest is now 7/8" across the bell."

--Jason Watts