Sea monkeys have been around for a very long time. Kids from many different generations have enjoyed watching sea monkeys spring to life.
These creatures have been marketed in many different ways over the years. No matter how you first came to learn about sea monkeys, it’s easy to see the appeal.
If you’ve recently started caring for sea monkeys, then you might be wondering a bit about them. As someone who is new to this, you might not know what to feed them.
What are you supposed to feed sea monkeys anyway? Keep reading to learn about how you can care for sea monkeys the right way and keep them healthy.
What Are Sea Monkeys?
Before moving forward, it’s worth noting that sea monkeys are actually just a type of brine shrimp. Most people know this, but some might not really be sure what they’re dealing with.
In the past, people started marketing these brine shrimp as sea monkeys. They would sell kits that were easy to use so that people could watch the sea monkeys hatch.
Often, the marketing made the sea monkeys sound very entertaining. While it can be fascinating to hatch sea monkeys, some of the old advertisements might have been a bit fantastical.
That being said, sea monkeys are still pretty popular. If you got some recently, then you’re likely going to enjoy watching them hatch, and it’ll also be fun to observe them in the fish tank.
Don’t Feed the Sea Monkeys Too Soon
Putting the wrong amount of food in the tank can wind up killing the sea monkeys. It’s important to know this so that you can avoid making mistakes.
Since an error could kill the creatures, you’ll want to be especially careful. Understand that it isn’t necessary to feed the sea monkeys as soon as they hatch.
In fact, it’s recommended to wait to feed them until five days after they have hatched. The sea monkeys start out their lives by feeding on the nutrients from their egg sacs.
It is a good idea to check on the sea monkeys each day to ensure that they have hatched. This lets you know how long it has been since they hatched so that you’ll know when to start feeding them.
What if the Sea Monkeys Don’t Hatch?
Sometimes sea monkeys don’t hatch as fast as they’re supposed to. In most of the sea monkey kits, it’s said that they’re supposed to hatch after 48 hours.
If 48 hours have passed and the sea monkeys show no signs of hatching, you might need to make some changes. Try moving the tank to a different location that has more light.
You don’t want the tank to be in direct sunlight, though. Direct sunlight could warm the water significantly, and that would be very bad for the sea monkeys.
Typically, ensuring that the tank has enough light will be enough to get the eggs to hatch. Otherwise, you’re just supposed to follow the instructions in the kit.
Feed the Monkeys a Bit of Growth Food
Use the small end of the feeding spoon that came in the kit to give the monkeys a bit of growth food. Put one of these small spoonfuls into the tank so that they can eat.
If you lost the spoon that came with the kit, then you could simply use a clean plastic straw. Just don’t give the monkeys too much at once because you’re supposed to avoid overfeeding them.
You’re supposed to continue feeding the sea monkeys, but you have to wait quite a bit of time between feeding sessions. It’s recommended to feed the sea monkeys once every five to seven days.
It is possible that you might need to feed them more often if you have more sea monkeys than the package estimated. Otherwise, it truly is best to stick to the five- to seven-day feeding schedule.
Note that it’s better to give the monkeys less food than it is to give them too much. You must be mindful of this due to the potential problems that can arise from overfeeding.
Don’t Feed the Sea Monkeys If the Tank Is Cloudy
If the tank is cloudy, then you should avoid feeding the sea monkeys. This is because cloudy water means that too much algae or bacteria are present in the tank.
If left unchecked, this could cause the sea monkeys to suffocate. You don’t want this to happen, so you can’t feed them during this time.
Wait to feed the sea monkeys again until the tank has cleared up. When the water looks clear again, you’ll be able to feed the sea monkeys on the same schedule as usual.
The sea monkeys should eat the algae that is present in the tank. This means that the water will clear up if you leave things alone.
It’s dangerous to feed the sea monkeys during this time because it might make it so that the sea monkeys won’t eat the algae. Then the algae can become too much for the creatures, and they’ll wind up suffocating.
Superfood and Gro-Kwikly
Superfood is a type of sea monkey product that is meant to help the creatures grow a bit faster. Some choose to give sea monkeys this optional food every two or three feedings.
You don’t have to buy this optional food if you don’t want to, though. The sea monkeys will be fine without it, but this can help them to grow faster.
If your goal is to make the sea monkeys grow as large as possible, then this will be a good idea. Feeding the sea monkeys superfood is just as easy as using the normal growth food from the kit.
There’s also a type of sea monkey food called “Gro-Kwikly” that you can buy. You’re supposed to be able to feed the sea monkeys this food once per week.
Just one small spoonful per week is supposed to cause rapid growth. It’s not that different from the sea monkey superfood.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell what is in the sea monkey food packets. Just know that these special food types are optional ways to encourage greater sea monkey growth.
What Else Can Sea Monkeys Eat?
If you run out of the food that came with the kit, then you should be able to buy brine shrimp food from a pet store. This is essentially the same stuff that you’ve been feeding the sea monkeys the entire time.
Brine shrimp food mostly contains algae. It comes in the form of a powder that you place in the tank using a small spoon.
It should also be fine to feed the sea monkeys algae pellets. Some enthusiasts grow algae to use as food for the sea monkeys.
You can also go out and look for the food that is specifically marketed as sea monkey food. There’s a good chance that you can get more food from the same place where you bought the sea monkey kit.
How Big Will the Sea Monkeys Get?
If you’re trying to make these creatures get as big as possible, then you might be wondering how big they can get. Will the sea monkeys get huge if you continue to care for them for a long time?
They can certainly get a lot bigger than they were when they hatched. You can expect a sea monkey to grow to be somewhere between half an inch to three-quarters of an inch in length.
This is an estimate of the average length of a fully-grown sea monkey. Your results may vary due to various factors.
Of course, you aren’t going to be able to see the sea monkeys grow to absurd lengths even if you feed them the special optional food. You’ll just be able to help them grow faster, and it’s possible that you might see a sea monkey grow to be closer to an inch in length under some circumstances.
How Long Do Sea Monkeys Live?
Sea monkeys are generally expected to live up to one year. You shouldn’t expect that the sea monkeys will live much longer than that, but there is a chance.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that some sea monkey enthusiasts have been able to keep colonies alive for years. There are even reports of a sea monkey colony surviving for five years.
However, it’s important to temper your expectations. It seems that the standard experience involves the sea monkeys living for around one year.
You can certainly have fun watching the sea monkeys grow during this time. Just do your best to care for them and see how long you can keep them alive.
Final Thoughts
Now you know that sea monkeys eat algae. The sea monkey food that you’re giving the creatures contains algae.
If you want to, then you can go out and purchase food that is meant for brine shrimp and give it to the sea monkeys. Algae pellets should also be acceptable.
Hopefully, you feel more confident about feeding the monkeys now. Just remember not to feed them too much and all should be well.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. I have a wife and two children and love taking them to the zoo to see all the animals. I grew up with dogs and fish and now have two dogs and two cats. I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.