Do You See what I Sea?

Meet our new Pets!

While in Canada, the child was gifted her very own Sea Monkey Kit.

Photo by Ciprian Boiciuc on Unsplash.

Because when you go to visit Canada you think poutine, maple syrup and the RCMP.

You do not think about Sea Monkeys

I have not thought about Sea Monkeys in some time. I do not lie in bed thinking about Sea Monkeys and I sure as heck didn’t think to buy them, But they’re harmless.

I think. So wait a minute..what exactly are sea monkeys?

According to my Microsoft Co-Pilot, they are:

**Sea-Monkeys are a hybrid breed of brine shrimp sold as novelty pets that hatch from dormant eggs when added to water.**

These tiny creatures have a quirky backstory and a surprisingly rich biological and cultural history. Here’s a deeper dive into what makes Sea-Monkeys so unique:

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### 🧬 What Are Sea-Monkeys?

- **Sea-Monkeys are a type of brine shrimp**, specifically a hybrid known as *Artemia nyos*, engineered to live longer and grow larger than their wild counterparts.

- They were invented in **1957 by Harold von Braunhut** and marketed as “instant pets” starting in 1962.

- The name “Sea-Monkeys” was a clever marketing twist—these creatures don’t resemble monkeys at all but were named for their tails and aquatic nature.

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### 🧪 How Do They Work?

- Sea-Monkeys are sold as **dormant eggs in kits**, which typically include:

- A water purifier

- The eggs

- Food

- Once added to water, the eggs hatch within hours to days, revealing tiny swimming creatures that grow to about **0.25 inches (0.6 cm)**.

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🌍 Habitat & Lifespan

- In the wild, brine shrimp thrive in **salty inland waters**, like Utah’s Great Salt Lake or California’s Mono Lake.

- Sea-Monkeys are designed for **low-maintenance care**, making them ideal for children or casual pet owners.

- With proper care, they can live for **up to two years**, though many live a few weeks to months.

🎪 Cultural Impact

- Sea-Monkeys became iconic in the **1960s and 70s**, heavily advertised in comic books.

- Their whimsical illustrations often depicted them as humanoid creatures, sparking curiosity and sometimes disappointment when the real animals looked more like tiny shrimp.

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Wait, they are shrimp? And can grow up to 1/4 inch? That’s pretty big for the little container we have them in now. If I wake up and a Sea Monkey has escaped…I will be pissed.

What they don’t tell you above is this is not an instant gift. We are currently on STEP 2 of the instructions. The first instruction was to fill the container with water and then the starter or activator or whatever and wait. FOR 24 HOURS!

Do you know hard it was for her to wait that long?

Step 2 states that once you pour the little eggs in the water they should start to hatch almost instantly so there’s been some peering and praying that we see something but I don’t think there’s much there yet. It takes up to 3 weeks for them to hatch so we have some time to wait, but we are ready with the food little monkeys.

I don’t think I will tell her that they’re just shrimp and let the monkey thing go on a bit longer. Heck, she still believes in Santa Claus.

We currently now have on our living room table a Sea Monkey container that gets watched and watched and watched in hopes of some hatching or moving or something to happen.

Not much is happening yet.

If she thinks Sea Monkeys are cool just wait until she learns about the Pet Rock

Keep an eye on your Monkeys,

TH and Co.