Discover how to create your own Sea Monkey colony at home with tips from the world’s largest Sea Monkey creator.
Jon Hicks, known for his YouTube channel ‘Sea-Monkey Dude,‘ holds the record for the world’s largest Sea-Monkey colony.
With a passion for brine shrimp, commonly known as Sea-Monkeys, Hicks has shared his expertise on how you can start and grow your own Sea-Monkey habitat at home.
What are Sea Monkeys?
Before diving into the process, let’s clarify what sea monkeys are.
These tiny creatures, scientifically known as brine shrimp, were incredibly popular in the 1970s.
Sold as eggs in small packets, they are easy to grow and care for.
Jon Hicks, who lives in Michigan with his family and a large number of Sea-Monkeys, has taken his hobby to extraordinary lengths.
His largest colony resides in a 16-gallon aquarium, boasting around 3,000 Sea-Monkeys.
Jon is now aiming to expand his colony to over 5,500 individuals.
World’s largest Sea Monkey creator reveals steps to build your own at home
1. You need to gather your supplies
To get started, you will need An aquarium, Aquarium decor, distilled water, air pump and line, heater, lighting (optional), Sea-Monkey brand packets (water purifier and instant live eggs).
Jon suggests purchasing supplies from Sea-Monkeys.com and provides a list of recommended items on Amazon.
2. He suggests maintaining room temperature water
Sea monkeys thrive in water at room temperature.
Jon recommends keeping the water around 79°F (26°C).
Ensure the water is neither too hot nor too cold to maintain optimal conditions for your sea monkeys.
3. Prepare the aquarium for Sea Monkeys
Add water to the aquarium and mix in the packets.
For every 12 ounces of water, use one pair of packet #1 (water purifier) and packet #2 (instant live eggs).
The packets work together to create the ideal environment.
Adjust the number of packets based on the volume of water you use.
4. He suggests installing the heater
“Adding a heater is crucial,” he emphasized.
A tank that is too cold will cause the Sea Monkeys to become inactive and hinder their growth.
Ensure the heater maintains a consistent, appropriate temperature.
5. Set up the airline is the next step
Install the air pump and line, using a control valve to regulate the airflow.
Jon advises using a small trickle of bubbles to break the surface tension of the water, which is sufficient for the Sea Monkeys.
“Be sure to use a control valve. You don’t need a ton of bubbles.
Just a small trickle to break the water’s surface tension,” the YouTuber warned.
6. Add aquarium decor to make your aquarium more interesting
Finally, add some decor to the tank.
After setting up the aquarium, the Sea-Monkey eggs should hatch within a day or two, though it may take longer in colder water.
Initially, the Sea-Monkeys will be tiny and appear as small specks with jittery movements, almost as if glitching.
Feed your sea monkeys a couple of times a week, and enjoy watching your new aquatic pets thrive.
With these steps, you can create and maintain a thriving Sea-Monkey colony at home.
Jon said: “Babies should hatch in a day or two. This will take longer with colder water.
“They are super tiny at first. You’ll want to look for specks with tiny jolt movements.
“It almost looks like they are glitching.
“And that’s about it. Feed them a couple times a week and enjoy the pets.”