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Planet Jellies

Immerse yourself among otherworldly jellies and experience their underwater planet like never before.

What Will You Discover?

Slip into the watery realm of the mystical jellyfish where five different species — and thousands of individual jellies — put on a dazzling show of colors, shapes, and sizes before your very eyes. 

Moon Jelly Moon Jelly

Moon Jelly

The moon jelly is capable of some vertical movement but is generally carried by the currents. Often found inshore in estuaries and harbors, this jelly captures plankton in the mucus lining of its bell, which is then transferred by ciliary action into the gastrovascular cavity to be digested.

Diet

Plankton

Size

Up to 16 inches

Range

North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea (likely elsewhere but may be different species)

Did You Know?

Jellies are one of the oldest multi-organ animals on Earth, with fossils dating back over 500 million years.

Pacific Sea Nettle Pacific Sea Nettle

Pacific Sea Nettle

Pacific sea nettles form massive open ocean groups at the surface where light-fueled plankton are most abundant. These massive groups may become more common as jelly populations rapidly increase due to changing environmental conditions and fewer predators like sea turtles.

Diet

Zooplankton

Range

Northern Pacific Ocean

Size

Up to 12 inches wide and 180 inches long

Did You Know?

The genus name of sea nettles, Chrysaora, is derived from the Greek mythological character Chrysaor, which translates to "golden blade." With its golden bell and stinging tentacles capable of quickly neutralizing prey, Chrysaor is an apt name for this species.

Upside-Down Jelly Upside-Down Jelly

Upside-Down Jelly

Upside-down jellies are usually found in shallow, sheltered coastal areas like lagoons and seagrass beds, especially around mangroves. Adults are typically found in groups, rhythmically pulsing to maintain their upside-down orientation against the substrate.

Diet

Zooplankton

Size

Up to 16 inches

Range

Indo-Pacific region,Western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Similar to many corals, this jelly has a symbiotic relationship with a specific type of algae that reside in their tissues and provide up to 90% of the jellies nutritional requirements by converting sunlight into energy. By orienting themselves upside-down in shallow water where the sunlight is intense, they are maximizing energy production.

What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby

What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby

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    Immerse yourself among hundreds of otherworldly jellies and experience their underwater planet like never before.

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Swirling Pinstripe backdrop

Woah! The aquarium sounds like alotl fun! But what are you doing all the way down here with the axolotls – some of the most secretive salamanders in the world?!

Did you know the spotted salamander is the state amphibian of South Carolina? It earned the title in 1999 thanks to a campaign led by a class of Spartanburg third graders.