What are Sea Monkeys?

Identification

• Sea Monkeys are actually a breed of brine shrimp that is bred for its longevity and sold as pets. The trademark for the name "Sea Monkeys" belongs to Transcience Corp. While there are other brine shrimp hatching kits available, the original Sea Monkeys are only sold through Transcience Corporation. Real Sea Monkeys are sold in egg form in a package that contains the eggs and the chemicals necessary to start a healthy tank using just tap water. The eggs can survive outside of the water for many years, which makes them an ideal pet to sell in retail stores where they may sit on a shelf for a while.

History

• The first Sea Monkeys ever sold were sold by Harold von Braunhut in 1957 under the name "Instant Life." These tiny packages contained the seeds, salt, and other chemicals needed to hatch and grow the brine shrimp eggs. In 1962, Braunhut changed the name of his little creatures to "Sea Monkeys" due to their playful behavior. The shrimp were bred to be larger in size and have a longer lifespan then they have in the wild. In 1972, the Sea Monkey kit received a U.S. Patent. Today the Transcience Corporation sells a variety of Sea Monkey kits across the country and online.

Time Frame

• Sea Monkey eggs are in a state of suspended animation prior to being placed in the water. They can survive this way for many years. Once the eggs and the other chemicals are placed in a tank full of water, they hatch. This happens almost instantly, but the Sea Monkeys cannot usually be seen until 5 days after being added to the water because they are incredibly tiny at first. The tiny ecosystem is designed to live for 2 years or longer, although the individual Sea Monkeys do not live this long. They do, however, reproduce, and their children can continue to populate the tank for around 2 years.

Considerations

• Caring for Sea Monkeys is not difficult. All Sea Monkeys need is water, food and the chemicals in the purifier and starter packets. Sunlight can help them grow faster, but it is not necessary. Sea Monkeys need to be fed Sea Monkey food, which comes with the kit. They should be fed using the food and measuring spoon that came with the kit. Sea Monkeys can be fed daily unless the tank water starts to get cloudy. If this happens, stop feeding them until the water clears. Well-fed Sea Monkeys will have a green stripe running down their bodies. The tank needs to be aerated daily and this can be done by gently blowing through a straw into the water.

Benefits

• Sea Monkeys are easy pets for children or busy adults who do not have the time for a pet that needs more attention. They require little care and have a long lifespan when compared to other small pets. Even a small child can care for Sea Monkeys with some supervision. They are interesting to watch as they spend a lot of time swimming crazily around the tank. Sea Monkey tanks are little ecosystems, which makes them educational as well as entertaining.

Warning

• Soap is deadly for Sea Monkeys. You do not need to clean their tanks, but if you choose to do so, do not use soap. Do not use soap on any item that will come in contact with the tank either, such as the feeding spoon. If something has touched soap or a chemical cleaner, boil it in water before using it again in your tank. Chemicals in tap water are also deadly to your Sea Monkeys, so be sure to treat any water you add to the tank with the purifier before adding it.