Reefs.org Forums

[Anemone of the State]

Anyone know where I can find Turritopsis nutricula, aka the immortal jellyfish?

My kid wants to do a science fair project on them to discover what makes them revert to their medusa state.

[salt-creep]

I don't know, but I heard they are hard to keep alive.

[Anemone of the State]

Anyone know of a good internet resource where one can post a question about keeping marine organisms?

[Thales]

I have never seen one offered for sale.

[Anemone of the State]

Bummer. Thanks, though.

Apparently they have become quite invasive, so that might be the reason.

[Anemone of the State]

I don't know, but I heard they are hard to keep alive.

By the way, I actually do appreciate this kind of humor.

[liquid]

I don't know, but I heard they are hard to keep alive.

lol

[Matt_]

Bummer. Thanks, though.

Apparently they have become quite invasive, so that might be the reason.

Sent an email to some folks--if they are kept anywhere, they would know. Considering how cool they look I'm sure somebody is trying.

[Matt_]

So they are apparently sporadically available from some of the uber expensive Japanese suppliers. Do you have any hydroid researchers at the university? That might be an easier way to find them if somebody out there has them in culture.

[Matt_]

Have you considered using Hydra instead? The life support and availability sure would be a hell of a lot simpler.

[David Magen]

I don't know if FW hydra can revert back to medusa stage, which is what Bill is looking for.

[Matt_]

I don't know if FW hydra can revert back to medusa stage, which is what Bill is looking for.

Hydra do not have a medusa stage. According to some folks they do not go through senescence.

The feature of the "immortal jellyfish" that makes them unique is that they can revert to a polyp stage, not a medusa stage. The medusa stage is the adult stage of scyphozoans.

[David Magen]

I just want to recycle Bill's phrase, and I agree with your explanation.

However, do you agree that the medusa become polyp/hydra, and revert back to medusa? And for the sake of logic, what come first... polyp or medusa?