Saw my first "freshwater jellyfish" this weekend

[mike_s]

Rocketman, ScubaAL and I hit a local privately owned quarry this past weekend. A few other folks there including rharbis1, but not sure if he saw them or not.

We're swimming along and I notice something funny in the water.

Closer inspection reveals a very tiny jellyfish. About the diameter of a dime.


I didn't have my camera handy, but found this pic online

I saw maybe between 15 or 18 total. I'm sure there were more, but just not right in our sight.

The biggest one I saw was about the diameter of a Nickle.

I'm not sure if they sting or not. (I had gloves on) but I was able to play with them a little with my fingers and look at them. pretty neat indeed.


There is someone who researched freshwater Jellyfish and has some cool info online.
see http://www.jellyfish.iup.edu/ (above pic from his website).


Just thought I'd share this. Anyone else seen any this year?

 

[rdharbis1]

I didn't see you after the dives or I would have mentioned it to you. If I did, it was because I was belly-flopping off the swing !!!


I saw them each dive. The second dive, there were five of them in a group.

Thanks for the picture, I was trying to describe it to a friend and he wouldn't believe me. He seems to think I am talking about insect larvae, I don't think so!

Great quarry diving though!

Randy

 

[mike_s]

I didn't see you after the dives or I would have mentioned it to you. If I did, it was because I was belly-flopping off the swing !!!

Yeah.. we were still in the water, so we got a up close view of all those flip-flops. It was pretty funny. I wish I'd taken my camera for that also!

I saw them each dive. The second dive, there were five of them in a group.

Thanks for the picture, I was trying to describe it to a friend and he wouldn't believe me. He seems to think I am talking about insect larvae, I don't think so!

Show them that website above. Lots of pics on it of them.

 

[Britt]

A few people told me about them. I was thinking about taking the Intro divers over to see them, but the swing seemed to be running full speed.

Madison quarry used to have a bunch of them also. I only seen a few there last year.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I saw several dozen at Madison Quarry two or three years ago, while it was still run by Rock Divers.

From what I understand, they aren't really jellyfish, despite the similar looks. They have no noticable sting.

I think I heard that ABWA has them on occassion as well?

 

[mike_s]

I saw several dozen at Madison Quarry two or three years ago, while it was still run by Rock Divers.

I've heard from several people that they'd seen them in Madison, but I just haven't been lucky enough to have seen them.

From what I understand, they aren't really jellyfish, despite the similar looks.

you're correct there.

Here's some interesting info I read about them on the above URL in my original post.

Is there such a thing as a freshwater jellyfish?

Yes, but... the freshwater "jellyfish" is not a true jellyfish as are some of its marine relatives. Freshwater "jellyfish" differ slightly from the true marine jellyfish. Craspedacusta sowerbii (kras-ped-uh-kus-tuh) is the scientific name of this freshwater "jellyfish".

One obvious difference is that unlike marine jellyfish, C. sowerbii has a structure called a velum on the ventral surface. This thin, shelf-like membranous structure extends inward from the circular edge (ring canal) of the bell. The manubrium, which ends in a mouth, extends down through a hole in the velum. The velum helps set C. sowerbii apart from the true jellyfish. However, because C. sowerbii looks like a jellyfish, we call it a jellyfish!

C. sowerbii belongs to the class Hydrozoa which includes the more common hydra.​

They have no noticable sting.

correct again... (the way you phrased it as "noticable sting".)

from the FAQ on that same page

Do freshwater jellyfish sting?

Yes. Like true jellyfish, they do have stinging cells (cnidocytes). This mechanism is designed for feeding, as the cnidocytes are utilized to paralyze macroinvertebrates and even small fish. There are conflicting reports whether these microscopic stinging barbs can penetrate human skin. Some individuals have reported that they encountered the jellyfish and felt it. Whether they were actually stung (involving a penetration of their skin) or whether the stinging barbs were released due to contact with the person and the effect was due to brushing against the released stinging barbs is unknown. The sensations reported range from mild itching, to red spots, to various levels of irritation, to a slight numbness. Others have reported handling the jellyfish or swimming among them with no adverse effects. Assuming that the jellyfish did release their barbs when handled or contacted, yet the person did not feel any effect, could be due to different individuals having different levels of sensitivity to the animal’s toxin just as folks do to the toxin or chemicals found in certain insect bites or stings​

I think I heard that ABWA has them on occassion as well?

I don't know.

Here's a list of sightings in Alabama. (pretty interesting site)
http://www.jellyfish.iup.edu/location.html#AL

Bluewater isn't listed, but it doesn't mean they aren't there. Diveland (Glencoe) quarry is listed though and Diveland has/had something on their website about it.

 

[texdiveguy]

You can see them in Lake Ouachita Arkansas if you are lucky enough!!

 

[snepdiver]

Rocketman, ScubaAL and I hit a local privately owned quarry this past weekend. A few other folks there including rharbis1,

Did I miss the invite?

 

[mike_s]

Did I miss the invite?

hmmmm..... you must have short term memory loss.

You didn't miss the invite. you even replied to the invite.

 

[Diveral]

hmmmm..... you must have short term memory loss.

You didn't miss the invite. you even replied to the invite.

Ohh That's hilarious!!!


AL