Water quality varies drastically across the globe. The safest thing to do is use DISTILLED WATER or a BOTTLED WATER with no additives.

It’s not recommended but you can. Boil the water first (with adult supervision) and let it sit out for 24 hours. This will help remove any potential harmful minerals and allow the water to reach room temperature.

First, don’t panic and don’t prematurely throw the babies out with their bath water. There are so many variables that affect hatch times and hatch rates, it’s nature and not an exact science. Under some circumstances, it may take several weeks for your Sea-Monkeys® to hatch and you’re able to see them. Check the temperature post in our INSTRUCTIONS section for how the temperature can affect hatch time.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

1.) Make sure you’ve followed the directions to the letter.

2.) Make sure you’ve looked very closely. Baby Sea-Monkeys® are as tiny as the period at the end of this sentence. They are also white which makes them even harder to spot.

3.) Shine a bright light through the side of the tank and look for their little twitching motions as they awkwardly learn to swim. Once you spot them, it’s easier to pick them out moving forward. Before long, they’ll be large enough that they are easily seen.

4.) Don’t throw in the towel too early. Depending on a variety of variables, it can take Sea-Monkeys® several weeks to hatch and be seen.

Sea-Monkeys® are born with a food yolk that will nourish them during their first week of life.

Sadly, that’s common in nature. Many babies will hatch knowing that only the strongest will make it to adulthood. Rest assured, you haven’t done anything wrong.

Sea-Monkeys® have been around for over six decades and older kits can be purchased on the secondary market. Don’t expect the packets from older kits to still be viable. Older packets may produce low results or no results at all. Packets with “MADE IN THE USA” printed on the front are the most current. Look for the “MADE IN THE USA” label. The contemporary kits produced by Dragon-I Toys will have current or recent ingredient packets.

It’s fairly important. If you don’t have a manual Sea-Monkey® AIR-PUMP®, even swirling the water around daily or a couple times a week will help. Check the Sea-Monkey® handbook or instructions for more on aeration options. If green algae begins to grow in your tank, it will produce a natural supply of oxygen.

Again, pretty important. Indirect sunlight is your best option as a light source. It provides a little natural warmth and promotes the growth of green algae. Be sure to avoid direct sunlight. Sun rays streaming directly in your tank can overheat the water and literally boil your aquatic pets. If indirect sunlight isn’t an option, grow lights can be purchased inexpensively online.

This is perhaps the most important of the three. Warmer water will produce a more robust and active colony. Colder temperatures slow things down considerably. You can probably expect a smaller and slower hatch rate and slower moving Sea-Monkeys. Check the TEMPERATURE GUIDE in our INSTRUCTIONS section.

 Feeding your pets is the most difficult thing to explain because of all of the variables; how big, how many, water condition, algae (or lack thereof), etc. Keep the following in mind, it’s more common that people over feed than under feed their pets. Well fed adult Sea-Monkeys® will have a dark line indicating their gullet is full. This can also be detected by a long trail of waste as they expel their food.

An indicator that you’ve overfed your pets is when the water gets cloudy. That’s a good indicator to cease feeding until the water clears up.

The presence of algae (or lack thereof) will also affect your feeding schedule. Green algae is a natural food source for adult Sea-Monkeys®. The algae is their natural diet. It also gives off a natural supply of oxygen. If algae is present, you don’t need to feed them at all or at least very often.

The exception is when you have algae, adults, AND baby Sea-Monkeys® at the same time. The mouths on baby Sea-Monkeys® are too small to graze on algae so you’ll want to feed them the powdered GROWTH FOOD® that came with your kit.

This is a common question and it can be a little unsightly, but you don’t need to remove it, it’s a mixture of waste, uneaten food, unhatched eggs, and the Sea-Monkeys® exoskeletons as they molt their outer shells.

That’s a BIG NO. Packets 1 and 2 contain the perfect amount of salts to make the salinity level just right for your pets.

You will notice over time the water level in your tank will lesson. The water evaporates but the salts condense and remain the same. Once your water has evaporated by an inch or two, top of your tank with room temperature distilled or bottled water.

Also, no. Even though their water evaporates, the salt condenses and stays in the tank. When you top off the water, the salinity will self-adjust.

It’s not recommended. Some items may put off toxins harmful to your pets and items containing metal can rust.

Don’t let them hear me say this but Sea-Monkeys® are not the brightest creatures. Their delicate legs can easily get caught on course gravel or in the foliage of plastic plants. If you insist on adding these, use a sand appropriate for saltwater aquariums (opposed to a course gravel) and select plants that have a large enough space between their leaves as to not trap your pets.

Plasma III® is not required but it is a helpful additive to add nutrients and salts back into your tank that may have diminished over time. Plasma III is available to purchase in our online shop.

Plasma III® is formulated so 50% more Sea-Monkeys® will grow and thrive in any Ocean-Zoo® aquarium. Two weeks (14 days) after hatching add three scoops to their water using the specially calibrated Sea-Monkey® feeding spoon. Stir the water thoroughly. Proceed adding ONE scoop every two weeks until the packet is empty. For the best results, use an air-pump to stir and aerate their water — available in our online store.

Yes. But don’t use any detergents when you clean it out. Just use hot water, a rag or paper towel and a little elbow grease.

That’s not necessary. It will become part of their natural eco system. Also, females may have a viable egg sack still capable of hatching babies.

The white film is likely a bacteria. Try skimming as much off the top as you can, then mix the water thoroughly. Increasing your aeration will help to keep this from reoccurring.

A standard Ocean-Zoo® holds 10 to 12 ounces of water. If your new enclosure holds 20 to 24 ounces, you’ll need two packets of WATER PURIFIER® and two packets of INSTANT LIVE EGGS®. For 30 to 36 ounces, use three sets of packets and for 40 to 48 ounces, use four sets of packets.

It’s difficult to tell. A better way to answer the question is what is the lifespan of a Sea-Monkey® colony. Under the right conditions, a colony can survive for a couple of years. We’ve even had reports of colonies lasting up to five years.

Sea-Monkeys® really aren't hard to raise at all. First, you have to prepare the water. Most people mix everything together at once and expect the Sea-Monkeys® to be born. Well, you don't get anything but a jar of dirty water if you do that. Here's some tips to keep them alive.

• Follow the directions that come with them
• Don't overfeed them; once every 7 to 10 days is fine
• Use Distilled water or Bottled water to start and top up levels
• Keep the water in your aquarium at the same level

If your Sea-Monkeys DO NOT HATCH ON TIME, check the following list to FIND THE REASON. Do not make the mistake of throwing out the water if you do not see them at first. Remember, except for ONE CHANCE in a MILLION, your Sea-Monkeys® ARE ALIVE and well! These emergency instructions will solve any problem you may have.

Your failure to see them is one of the most common reasons for thinking they did not hatch. When born, Sea-Monkeys® are as tiny as a pinpoint-sized white dot. Very few may hatch at first, and they may hide among other particles in the water. You must search very carefully, in plenty of light, for the tiniest moving specks that twitch and wiggle as the newborns learn to swim. 

They will not hatch on time if you fail to wait long enough for the water, purified with Packet No. 1, to cure. After you have added the water purifier, you must wait at least 24 to 36 hours before adding Packet No. 2. This gives the water purifier chemicals time to eliminate toxic elements and prepare the instant “reactor” catalyst that makes the Sea-Monkeys® appear to hatch on contact with the water. If you added Packet No. 2 too soon, set the container aside for now. You will have your Sea-Monkeys® within a few days.

If you added both Packets No. 1 and No. 2 to the water at the same time, the Sea-Monkeys® cannot hatch instantly. This mistake will not ruin your attempt to produce them. Set the container aside for two days and your Sea-Monkeys® should show up on or after the third day. DO NOT ADD ALL OF PACKET NO. 3. That’s about a one-year supply of Growth Food.

Sea-Monkeys® will not hatch if you used the wrong amount of water. You must use the required 10 to 12 ounces of water to get Sea-Monkeys® to hatch  quickly. Failure to use the right quantity of water will not ruin the process, but it will cause a delay.

Too little water: If you used too little water, simply add more to reach 10 to 12 ounces.

Too much water: If you added too much water, let the container stand until it has evaporated to the proper amount. Do not drain off excess water. The quantity of formula in Packets No. 1 and No. 2 is designed for 10 to 12 ounces. Too much water dilutes the formula, and too little water condenses it.

Note: All styles of official Sea-Monkey® aquariums hold just the right amount of water when filled to the fill line or the top of the highest magnification lens on the Ocean-Zoo®’s outer wall

Incorrect room temperature can delay hatching. Ideally, the temperature should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures of 60 degrees or less, or rapid temperature changes, will delay hatching after you have added Packet No. 2, Instant Live Eggs, according to the instructions. If this is your problem, put the container in a light, warm area, and let it stand undisturbed. You will have your Sea-Monkeys® within a day or two. Check out the TEMPERATURE HATCHING GRAPH page on our website.

1. Make sure you followed the instructions carefully.
2. Check the temperature and evaluate your light source.
3. Look closely into the water for small white twitching dots using a strong light source.
4. Allow two full weeks with no activity before reaching out for free replacement packets of #1 Water Purifier and #2 Instant Live Eggs.

Send a self-addressed stamped envelope with your name and address clearly printed to the appropriate address listed below:

IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA:

Transcience Guarantee United States
PO Box 809
Bryans Road, Maryland
20616-0809

We’ve been selling Sea-Monkeys® for more than six decades and we stand by our product. However, these are a product of Mother Nature and are prone to natural anomalies. Your specific environment and the steps you’ve taken are additional variables that can affect the colony.