Elswet's

The scientific name of this species is "Artemia Salina". They are saltwater, or “brine” shrimp. Mr. Harold Braunhut discovered that they were better pets than the fish they were bred to feed, and developed formulas to grow Sea-Monkeys in a kewl. First sold as Instant Life, Mr. Braunhut thought they looked like little monkeys swimming around with their long tails.

The name given to the Artemia that are raised in the labs is "Artemia NYOS" (from New York Ocean Science). This new hybrid specie of Artemia was given the name "Super Sea-Monkeys" because it grew rapidly and lived longer:

These 'Artemia NYOS' or 'hybrid Super Sea-Monkeys' are now an integral part of the modern kits and are commonly known as Sea-Monkeys.

Artemia is commonly known as Brine Shrimp, and exist in its natural habitat in the "Great Salt Lake" in Utah, because only Artemia can survive in those levels of salt concentration.  The name scientists have given the amazing rare process of the 'dryed-out', unborn eggs found in the kits, is "cryptobiosis" which means "hidden life".  They actually exist in 'suspended animation'.  Sea-Monkeys® are real time-travellers, asleep in biological time-capsules.

Lately, many toy stores have been selling kits with formulas and tanks. Many people who buy these kits feel frustrated because even though the instructions are clear, they do not answer all the doubts or questions that may arise.

My Personal Suggestions that the Manual doesn’t always say clearly....

• RULE NUMBER ONE: As much as it pities you ; DO NOT OVER FEED. This is the biggest mistake people make.They see that the spoon is small and the manual says to feed once or twice a week, but they feel sorry and do not follow the golden rule! Of the many Sea-monkeys that are born, only a half dozen or so survive to adulthood. The reason is not under nourishment, but natural selection, only the strongest and fittest survive, like most species in the animal kingdom.
  


• RULE NUMBER TWO: Get a new straw to mix the formulas, most people use spoons that have been washed with soap, a big no no. This straw should be rinsed after each use and stored in a clean paper towel.
  


• RULE NUMBER THREE: If your kit *Does not* include the packet Plasma, consider using only 10 oz of distilled water, instead of the 12 oz that are indicated on the back of the packets. If your kit has Plasma, or if you order it separately by mail (highly recomended), use 12 oz of water. The Plasma is an additive that gives the formula a higher salt concentration, it also provides micro nutrients, that stimulate the growth of the young Sea-Monkeys.
  


• Many problems with the formulas are that people get impatient, please wait 24 to 36 hours after adding packet #1 Water Purifier *before* opening the second packet.
  


• RULE NUMBER FOUR: Get or buy a container that holds up to 16 oz of liquid to oxigenate the water at least every time you feed them. This is done by pouring the contents from one container to another a few times. Remember that Sea-Monkeys tanks dont use an air pump. Many more will survive if the water is properly oxigenated. In the first week of life, its important to oxigenate the water daily.
  


• RULE NUMBER FIVE: If your kit does not include packet #4 (Plasma), feed the Sea-Monkeys on the fourth day of life. I consider Plasma to be an important additive to the formula. If your kit does not include it, it is worth it to order it.
  


• If your kit contains Plasma, I recommend that you add it on the fourth or fifth day of life, BUT DO NOT FEED ON THE DAY YOU ADD THE PLASMA
  
  Based on personal experience, I recommend that on the fouth or fifth day of life you do either one of these things:
  
  
  1. OR you add the entire contents of the Plasma packet, if your kit includes the Plasma packet;
  2. Or you begin to feed them, with a small serving of food using the small side of the Sea-Monkey Feeding Spoon that is included in your kit

  If your Kit includes the Plasma packet, wait two or three days after adding the Plasma before feeding them. Even though the new Manual indicates that the Plasma should be added at ten days of life, I have found that it is too late to help the baby Sea-Monkeys survive. This is just a suggestion based on my personal experience, by no means do I assume any responsability for any mishaps, but I can assure that following my method many more Sea-Monkeys will survive.
  



• RULE NUMBER SIX: If your kit comes with "Sea-Diamonds" *DO NOT* add them to the formula until there are adult Sea-Monkeys in the tank (from 1/2" to 3/4" inch).  Also remember to oxigenate the water more frequently, because part of the microscopic food becomes trapped between these 'diamonds' and the babies will not be able to eat.
  


• RULE NUMBER SEVEN: Sea-Monkeys love sunny days, because they promote the growth of algae, that provides both oxygen and food.  But do not make the mistake of leaving them in direct sun light, as this warms the water and is not healthy for your pets.  A good idea is to provide a small amout of light, 15 watts or less, or better yet , a light bulb for plants, that does not heat the water, yet provides a constant temperature and soft light at night.
  
• RULE NUMBER EIGHT: And remember, the future of your Sea-Monkeys is in your hands, WASH THEM!

If you are really interested in this hobby, order items like 'Jumbo Plasma', 'Water Purifier', 'Aqua Leash', 'Million Bubbles Air Pump' formerly known as 'Oxy-Mist', to oxigenate the water, 'Sea-Medicine' and maybe another food packet; each food packet can last a year. A packet of 'Water Purifier' and a packet of 'Jumbo Living Plasma' make a quart (32 ozs.) of formula, that can be used to separate Sea-Monkeys into various containers using the 'Aqua-Leash'
That way you can separate;

• Newborns (they need tiny particles of food which the older Sea-Monkeys eat first)
• The sick (as not to contaminate the others
• The "bullies" (always male)
• Pregnant Moms (so the bullies wont bother them)

or simply to clean or change the water in tank where you keep your Sea-Monkeys.

How should you clean the Sea-Monkeys water? This is done by empting the contents from the tank to a clean container, carefully , so as to leave only a small amount of water on the bottom where all the sedimentation is found, clean the tank with some distilled water be sure to throw out the wash water, then empty the formula in the clean tank. The amount of formula that you threw out with the sediments can be replaced with some prepared "Jumbo Living Plasma". You could also prepare a small packet of Plasma, but this only makes 6 ozs. of formula.