Purple-stripe Jelly with Butterfish

Juvenile fishes, such as the Pacific butterfish (Peprilus simillimus) seen here, often lurk in the vicinity of a large jelly.  When potential danger approaches, they dive into the protective confines of the bell or among the tentacles and oral arms.  Somehow the fish manage to avoid the nasty sting of the ever-moving tentacles.  Some jellies may harbor an entourage of a dozen or more fish.  In this photo the silvery butterfish appear pretty conspicuous, but within an always moving jellyfish, the hitchhikers seemingly disappear in the mass of oral arms.  Butterfish dine on zooplankton that the jelly has collected, and probably nibble on gelatinous tissue when captured prey are scarce.  Eventually the fish decide that it's time to strike off on their own, and they begin an independent adult existence.  

 All photographs in the JelliesZone © David Wrobel and may not be used or copied without permission!