Jellyfish Q

[Psideways]

Why do jellyfish die when they hit a flat surface?

[Loverotties]

They think it's bread and waitting for the peanut butter!

[germy]

jeez

[germy]

[JCox]

Originally Posted by Psideways

Why do jellyfish die when they hit a flat surface?

I am wondering the same thing. I actually didn't know this was the case but I just saw a TV program on Discovery called Killer Jellyfish and it chronicled the box jellyfish problem that Australia was going through. They showed a special aquarium that they had to house these jellyfish for observation. It was a round tank, like the inside of a wheel and they mentioned that the jellyfish would die if it ran into the side of a regular aquarium. Weird. I'm wondering, though, if this is something specific to the box jellyfish, since the Balto. Aquarium had a jellyfish exhibit and I'm pretty sure it was a regular type aquarium, it definately wasn't tire shaped like I saw on the documentary.

[skeety]

Mainly cause they can only really go in one direction. They propell themselves up. Waves/current/etc can turn them here and there...but for the most part, they can only go in that one direction. And I believe they must be in constant movement.

So if they hit a flat surface...they can't turn/spin/etc. And they can't keep moving.

or at least that was my understanding.