Sea Monkeys: What are they really?

[ChanelNo5]

Please help me out with a question that has haunted me since I was a mere slip of a girl (many many many moons ago!) Those things called Sea Monkeys, what do they really grow into? Are they really happy, little fellows who sit on thrones wearing crowns and cuddling their babies (as shown on the packet) or are they, as I suspect, just water fleas, amoebas, or other creepy water things? Anyone have any experience of these 'delightful' things, or even know what I'm going on about? Thanks

[Enid]

They were pretty much water fleas as far as I remember. Mum made me throw them out almost immediately.

There were no crowns, babies, tricks, monkey-like or otherwise.

Very disappointing.

[WideWebWitch]

Yes, I know what you're on about. Also known as Triops (or Arty Fartys to a friend who grows them for fishing bait).

There is something utterly revolting about these things IMO! But, ds loved them and they grew to about the size of my little finger nail. We used half a packet (the first lot didn't work for some reason) and about 10 or so hatched. Reckon the other eggs were eaten by the 10. The others then started dying off/being eaten and we ended up with one big one which died after about 3 weeks.

Horrible, but a source of fascination for ds and revulsion and shuddering for all visitors to our house!

[SueDonim]

We (or rather, my 14 yr old) have recently acquired some sea monkeys. I didn't realise they were water fleas but now I look at them, they are flea shaped! I'd thought they were shrimpy things. They just swim around, mostly on their backs. They've failed to learn any tricks or to come when called, which is a bit disappointing. Someone told me last week that when disposing of them you shouldn't just flush them down the sink as they damage the environment. I have visions of giant sea monkeys coming up the toilet, or something!!

[slug]

They're brine shrimps. If you ever see water being evaporated for salt, the pink colour of the water is caused by billions of the wee things. Very pretty and harmless, but no crowns sorry.

[ChanelNo5]

Oh dear, as I suspected they're a load of old c**p then. And they look so appealing on the box with their smiling faces and shiny crowns.

[robinw]

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[ChanelNo5]

Put them in a stir fry!!!!!!!

[ScummyMummy]

Oh Yuk!!! The thought of Stir fried sea monkeys sends a shiver down my spine, Chanel!

[Tinker]

What is everyone talking about????????????

[Lollypop]

Someone gave me some sea monkeys (Artemia nyos)for a present. they are still in their packet in my draw, its over 2 years old will they still hatch? I only have one packet of food so do they starve to death after a while?

[SueDonim]

Apparently, the eggs last for years and years, they sort of go dormant. And you don't need more than one packet of food because once they start reproducing the new ones live off the ones that have died. That's what I've been told anyway, but whether there is even a grain of truth in it, I've no clue, lol!

[robinw]

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[ChanelNo5]

And they don't wear crowns and sit on thrones as shown on the packet!

[SueDonim]

Sea monkeys do seem to live off their dead. A friend was desperate to get rid of hers, so she abandoned them to their fate when she went away. They were still all happily swimming around when she got back home ten weeks later!