Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Let me start off by saying that when my girlfriend came home from Target with this sea monkey kit, I thought she'd lost her mind. But since the "City Mini World" was on sale for $2, I figured it was worth a shot. Fortunately, I read the reviews here and the FAQ at http://www.sea-monkeys.com, and got some valuable pointers.
The first thing I did was remove all the buildings, because I'd read that sometimes the sea monkeys get stuck between them and the side of the tank.
Second, I went to an aquarium store and got a horizontal stick-on thermometer (cost: $1.50), and an Elite battery powered air pump (it uses 2 size D batteries, not included), that came with the tubing and the air stone (cost: around $9.00). I then drilled one of the evaporation holes to make it big enough so that the tubing could snugly fit through. Once the tubing was through the hole, I attached the air stone inside the tank. This allows me to aerate the tank 5-6 times a day without taking the lid off.
I followed the directions as far as treating the water (we used bottled water) for 24 hours. Then I put in the eggs, stirred the water, aerated the tank 5-6 times a day, and waited.
As far as the lighting goes, I have the tank on a computer desk about 3 feet in front of a window with mini-blinds. I don't know if it's a Northern window or not. It gets sun in the morning and part of the afternoon. There's also a little clip-on desk light that I use to keep the temperature around 78 degrees F. The light has a goose neck, so I can shine it towards the tank, or away from it, giving a lot of control via a very simple solution.
We've had the kit for around 10 days, and we did see live babies after the first day or two. Now, I'd say there are about 10-15 adults (about 1/4" long) and about 5 babies, +/- (they move so fast, it's hard to get a completely accurate head count.)
The feeding instructions aren't that clear. The packet of food says feed every 2 days. The site says feed once a week, unless you have a "big colony", then feed more often. I also read somewhere else to feed them every 5 days. I think once or twice a week feedings are probably about right.
I can honestly say that I had NO expectations for these sea monkeys whatsoever. I have had 50 gal "real" fresh water aquariums, along with beta fish. All I can say is this: these things are COOL. The setup is minimum; and the fun factor is maximum. They grow pretty quickly, and are almost in constant motion. They have real billowy fins, or whatever it is that propels them.
They also poop a lot (the long strings trailing behind them are poop, and are sometimes twice as long as their bodies).
Also, because of the varying hatching times of the eggs, tiny new babies suddenly appear, seemingly out of nowhere. I don't think I had this much fun with my full 50 gal aquariums. These little critters are just great. They are low maintenance, and low anxiety (i.e. no worrying if the tank "cycled", no testing the H20 for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, ph, etc. No need to vacuum the gravel, do water changes, etc.). The square base of the tank is very stable, and the lid fits securely.
There are just no negatives at all, except that the City Mini World does not come with an aerating device. But the setup with the battery operated pump works like a charm. It's not necessary to run the pump all the time; just turn it on about 5-6 times a day, and that does the trick. The water so far is pretty clear, although it's normal and healthy for a reasonable amount of algae to develop. I can hardly wait til the adults reproduce, and the colony grows.
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For more than forty-five years, Sea-Monkeys swam happily in their world famous, scientifically designed Zoo-Quariums with the magnifying portals. Now...add the redesigned and laboratory approved Mini-World salty simian habitats. The main difference? Zoo-Quarium Sea-Monkeys are best viewed through the sides of the tanks while Mini-World inhabitants look best when viewed from above.
Your Sea-Monkeys will be happy frolicking and diving in their new home in the metropolis. The "In the City" Mini-World tank sports a brand-new, city-themed design. Guaranteed to live two years, your salty pets will love their enriched new habitats...and so will you.
Mini-World features: water purifier, instant live eggs, growth food, calibrated feeding spoon, specially designed pipette to help refresh the watery home, a trilingual (English, Spanish, French) User Guide, a Sea-Monkey Insurance Form with a 2-Year Guarantee, a scientifically designed and tested Mini-World tank, and the exclusive multi-magnifying lid that allows proper air exchange and optimized viewing. Additional Sea-Monkeys Mini-Worlds sold separately.
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