Jellies are pretty alien, right? Well, our resident jellyfish expert Krish Lewis is here to answer all your burning questions about these weird animals, and how we care for, breed, clone and study them at the Two Oceans Aquarium in an exciting online Q&A, with host Kirshia Govender, on 23 June 2021.
So what does our "jelly guy" actually do? Krish might be the closest thing to a mad scientist we have at the Aquarium. Step into his lab and you'll be surrounded by tubes and cylinders, bubbling away with pulsating animals, the likes of which you've never seen. That's because, when he's not feeding jellies or out on a boat in Table Bay collecting specimens, Krish is studying the unique and enigmatic species that call South Africa's waters home.
"I like things that are ‘limited edition’. Not a lot of people work with jellies, especially in South Africa, so I'm one of the only people working hands-on with actual jellyfish rather than on the genetics. I enjoy the fact that I get to figure things out, that I get to rack my brain. Jellies are a challenge, and I enjoy finding a challenge - that's probably why I love them," says Krish.
Krish is ready for your questions - no matter how obscure. Is it true that an American aircraft carrier was once disabled by jellyfish? Are jellies taking over the ocean? Should I pee on my friends if they get stung? What does it feel like to get stung (Krish knows)? If I want to be a jellyfish scientist, what career advice do you have? How do you grow jellies for the Aquarium? And, why the heck do we sometimes say "jellyfish" and other times "jellies"?
