Jellyfish do not have enough adaptations to live outside of water. In order to do this they would need an excretory system for the osmoregulation and a true ambulacral system. Jellyfish typically only live for about a year and if they do not live for about a year it is most likely because they were eaten by a fish, turtle, bird or something like that. Another way they can die early is if they are not in salt water. Jellyfish need saltwater in order to stay alive.
When a jellyfish gets washed up to shore it cannot get back into the water. If you spot one lying on the beach you should never touch it as it can still sting you, even if it appears to be dead or actually is dead. Something that is rather interesting though is that when jellyfish wash ashore, they melt. All that will be left is some of its skin.
logan says
That was a great answer and I proved my sister wrong so that pretty good
Katherine says
I first saw a washed up jellyfish from an episode of a Korean Show called Running man and so I was really confused because not only did it look gross (to be very honest, they look better in water) but like this web says, i knew they were mostly made out of water. Reading this, i felt like i learned something new, because, even though it all makes sense, i certainly didn’t know that they would melt if they were out of their habitat. Thanks!
Edwin says
I fought a Jellyfish when I went to the beach, I took it out of the water and into the shore for like 5 minutes. Then I took it back to the water and it still seem to be alive, it was moving it’s body.
I touched it for like 5 seconds it’s top part and it was really hard, I was expecting it to be squishy/wavy.
(btw I caught it in a fishing bag made of thin rope)
Edwin says
I meant caught not fought lol my bad.