Aurelia jellyfish is a species of marine life that is very interesting and mysterious. Therefore, they are often kept in aquariums. This article contains information about who the Aurelia jellyfish is: description, content features, reproduction of this species.
General Description
In Aurelia, the umbrella is flat and can reach 40 cm in diameter. Since it is based on a non-cellular substance (it consists of 98% water), it is completely transparent. This quality also determines that the weight of these animals is close to the weight of water, which makes swimming much easier.
It should be noted that the structure of the Aurelia jellyfish is very interesting. So, along the edge of her umbrella there are tentacles - small, but mobile. They are very densely seated with a huge number of stinging cells.
This jellyfish has a quadrangular mouth with 4 movable blades along the edges. Their contraction (they are also covered with stinging cells) makes it possible to pull prey to the mouth and securely capture it.
Contents
Issues of keeping jellyfish differ in some specifics. Initially, it was in aquariums. Jellyfish require special containers that provide a circular smooth flow. This allows the animals to move freely without fear of any collision. This is important because the Aurelia, or eared jellyfish, has a very delicate and soft body that is easily damaged.
It is necessary to ensure the correct flow rate, which should allow the animals to “soar” without problems in the water column. Only in this case, there should be no danger of harm to their bodies.
The specificity also lies in the fact that the use of aeration is absolutely excluded for jellyfish in aquariums. This is due to the fact that air bubbles can be under the dome of the animal, get stuck there and then pierce it, which is very dangerous and can lead to the death of the jellyfish.
They don't need special lighting either, mostly simple lighting is enough.
Also note that there is no need to filter the water. As a rule, only regular water changes are enough to ensure that its quality always remains at the proper level. If there is no desire to constantly update the water, you can also install a life support system. At the same time, it is important to take proper care of the protection of animals. Because they can be pulled into the intake devices.
In addition, you need to consider that the Aurelia jellyfish should live in a fairly spacious aquarium, since it needs the ability to freely extend its tentacles to their full length.
Feeding
How are jellyfish fed? They are great with a mixture that consists of brine shrimp, phytoplankton, heavily crushed crustaceans and seafood. Although at the moment there are various ready-made foods on sale that Aurelia (eared jellyfish) can also eat. But there is one feature. If the animals do not like the food at all, they can start eating the rest of the jellyfish.
Reproduction
Aurelia jellyfish is dioecious. So, the testes in males are milky white, they are perfectly visible: these are small half-rings in the body of the animal. Females have purple or red ovaries, which are also visible in the light. Therefore, by coloring, you can understand what gender the jellyfish is. Aurelias breed only once in their life, and then they die. Their main distinguishing feature is the manifestation of concern for their own offspring (which is not typical of other species).
It is worth noting that the fertilization of eggs, as well as their further development, takes place in special pockets. Eggs enter them through the gutters from the mouth opening. After fertilization, the egg divides into 2 parts, each of which is further divided in half, and so on. Due to this, a single-layer multicellular ball is formed.
Some of the cells of this ball gets inside, which can be compared with pressing a rubber ball. Because of this, a two-layer embryo appears.
He can swim thanks to the large number of cilia that are located on his outerparts. The embryo then becomes a larva, which is called a planula. For some time it just floats, and then falls to the bottom. It is attached with its front end to the bottom. Quite quickly, the posterior end of the planula is transformed: a mouth appears in this place, and tentacles are also formed. And it becomes a polyp, from which small jellyfish are later formed.
Interesting facts
Aurelia jellyfish is often used in medicine. Laxatives and diuretics were produced from it in the Middle Ages. And today, from the poison contained in the tentacles of animals, they produce drugs to regulate pressure and treat various pulmonary diseases.
Caribbean farmers use physalis poison as rodent poison.
Jellyfish allow you to effectively deal with stress. They are bred in Japan in special aquariums. The slow, smooth movements of the animals calm people down, while keeping them is very expensive and troublesome.
The phosphors isolated from jellyfish are used for biochemical analysis. Their genes were transplanted into various animals, for example, rodents, due to which biologists were able to see with their own eyes processes that were previously inaccessible. Because of this action, the rodents began to grow green hair.
Part of the jellyfish is caught off the coast of China, where their tentacles are removed, while the carcasses are kept in a marinade, due to which the animal turns into a cake of thin, delicate, translucent cartilage. In the form of such cakes, animals are taken toJapan, where they are carefully selected for quality, color and size and used in cooking. So, for one salad, a jellyfish is cut into small strips 3 mm wide, they are mixed with herbs, stewed vegetables, and then poured with sauce.
Robot jellyfish also appeared there. They, unlike real animals, not only swim beautifully and slowly, but can also “dance” if the owner wishes to the music.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the Aurelia jellyfish is very common, it cannot be called completely ordinary. In principle, these are very curious creatures, therefore, observing them and keeping them will be very exciting.
