Similar to other species of sea nettle, C. chesapeakei has a centrally located mouth surrounded by oral arms.

Compared to C. quinquecirrha, C. chesapeakei has a bell size that is on average half as small, usually around 10 centimeters (3.9 in).

Typically, that substrate would be something hard and rough with plenty of shade, but mostly they will attach to the shells of oysters.

A species of ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidei, has had a negative impact on many of the economically important fishing industries in the Chesapeake Bay.

[5] It is possible that as climate change becomes a greater issue, there may be fluctuations in the availability of the populations of both species.