Baja Blue Cannonball jellyfish
Stomolophus sp. 2
Up until just a few years ago, Blue Cannonball jellies were almost an urban legend. Few photos or accounts existed of these intensely blue and enigmatic jellyfish. Found in and around the waters of the Gulf of California, an area that is both geographically isolated and sometimes treacherous. This isolation allowed these jellies to remain largely unknown until they were recently cultured in captivity. These are currently awaiting a formal species description and are known as "sp. 2" in the meantime.
A blue cannonball that was raised under normal salinity instead of the hyposalinity method.
A blue cannonball that was raised at 1.014 SG/20 ppt. Note how the oral arms are more correctly developed, the bell is rounder and thicker and overall, this jellyfish more closely resembles what a wild specimen would look like.
Caring for Blue Cannonball Jellyfish
Under the right conditions, this species grows very quickly. But with fast growth and a high metabolism come drawbacks. To fuel that lifestyle, Blue Cannonball Jellies have to eat often. This can be accomplished by feeding them multiple times a day. An easier method is to just keep them at a lower salinity and temperature, slowing down that growth and metabolism to a more stable, manageable level. Aside from that, these jellies are fairly robust and easy to care for.
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Stocking density: Tanging is not an issue as cannonball jellies lack tentacles. They do greatly benefit from plenty of space, however. Raising them in dense quantities can cause them to not develop correctly and raising them in small spaces can cause bell deformation.
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Flow: Medium
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Feeding: Live baby brine shrimp, rotifers, Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast
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Temperature Range: 68-74F- they can be kept closer to 77 F but they will be considerably more active and require frequent feedings.
Salinity: Keeping them at a brackish salinity also seems to help stabilize their growth. 1.014 SG or 20 ppt.
Life Stages
Polyps and Strobila with ephyra almost ready to be released.