Crosshair Jelly
Nemopsis bachei
A small and often overlooked hydromedusae, Crosshair jellies are found up and down the American Atlantic coast as well as potentially parts of Europe and Africa. Each corner of their bulb shaped bell sports a tuft of tentacles resembling Christmas tinsel. Two U-shaped gonads run allong the inside of the bell. Viewed from above, these form an X, or crosshair shape.
Mnemiopsis and Nemopsis- two very different species with strikingly similar genus names. Coincidentally, they are also often found in the same environment.
Caring for Crosshair Jellies
Crosshair jellies are surprisingly easy to keep and have little requirements. I have had great success keeping them in a 5 gallon glass bowl with just an air bubbler for circulation and live baby brine shrimp fed daily or every other day. Adults will readily spawn in captivity. The key is finding healthy specimens- Crosshair jellies tend to show up sporadically (I have found Autumn through Spring to be the best time). Sometimes they will wash up in the surf in tidal areas like bays and estuaries. These specimens are often beat up and have low viability. Your best bet is to drag a net through nearby water to scoop up healthy individuals. A similar species sometimes encountered are Bougainvillea. They can be kept and cared for in the same way as Nemopsis.