Sea-Monkeys do not require much care and can easily be raised at home. For this reason, they are considered among the ideal first pets for children. Read on to know more about them and how to take care of them…
Sea-Monkeys are amazing aquatic creatures. They require a small tank for growth and survival. In scientific terms, they are called Artemia salina. Basically, they are a species of brine shrimp, and are brown in color. Interestingly, the females are much larger than the males. There is a lump on the abdomen of the females, which carries their eggs.
Facts about Sea-Monkeys
- The adults start mating when they are about 4 to 6 weeks old.
- Even though the adults need water for survival, the eggs can stay alive for many years without water.
- Sea-Monkeys love to eat algae. The males require more food than the females. The babies eat food that is available at the bottom of the tank.
- Their lifespan is quite short. On an average, they live for up to 2 years.
- When the babies are born, they have just one eye. As they grow, two more eyes develop. In all, adults have 3 eyes.
Care Tips
When you buy a Sea-Monkey kit, you will get everything that is necessary for maintaining the well-being of these creatures. Apart from the kit, you just need bottled distilled water. The main steps are as follows:
Step 1
Even before you open the package, the first thing that needs to be done is washing the tank thoroughly, using warm water. This step will ensure that it is free from all kinds of dirt and grime.
Step 2
The tank has to be filled up with bottled distilled water. If you do not have distilled water, you can use boiled tap water instead.
Step 3
Add the water purifier pouch in the kit to the water tank. Stir the water a little, so that it gets dissolved properly. Keep the tank untouched for the next 24 hours at room temperature.
Step 4
Now that the water is ready, you can pour the Sea-Monkey eggs into it. Stir the tank very gently. Cover the top of the tank with a lid in order to prevent evaporation. Normally, it takes about 24 hours for the shrimp to emerge from their eggs.
Step 5
After 5 days, add the food provided with the kit into the water. From now onwards, you have to feed them once or twice a week. This will ensure proper growth of the creatures.
Step 6
You have to add water into the tank from time to time. When you notice that about 5 cm of the water has evaporated, add more water into the tank. Do not pour water directly into the tank. Pour the distilled water into a bowl and allow it to stand for 24 hours, then pour it into the tank.
Step 7
Sea-Monkeys require fresh air to grow. So, you must aerate the water once daily. Use a small air pump to supply fresh air into the tank every day.
Step 8
Always keep the tank in a sunny room, but strictly avoid direct exposure to sunlight. These conditions will promote the growth of algae, which serves as food for the shrimp.
If you follow the instructions provided in this article carefully, then your pets will grow really fast. It’s really amusing and exciting to see these tiny creatures grow and swimming all around the tank. Limited growth of algae on the walls of the tank is natural, and is good for for the Sea-Monkeys. Still, if you want to clean them, you can pick them up with a Q-tip. Never use bleach and soap for cleaning the tank, as they are poisonous for these animals.