How to Feed Sea Monkeys

Co-authored by Brian Blake

Last Updated: September 24, 2024 Approved

Sea Monkeys are actually a brand name for a breed of brine shrimp, whose eggs are sold through the mail along with the materials necessary to hatch them. Since using the wrong amount of food can kill the entire tank relatively quickly, it's important to learn the correct feeding schedule, along with the signs of underfed or overfed brine shrimp.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Feeding Sea Monkeys from a Kit

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Don't feed a new tank until 5 days after hatching. Sea monkeys begin life by feeding off the nutrients in their egg sac. Check on the eggs daily to see if they've begun to hatch. Once they have, wait five days before you start to feed them.^{[1]
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- Newly hatched sea monkeys can be extremely small. Move your tank to a well-lit area and examine the water closely for tiny, pale, moving dots. Use a magnifying glass if necessary.
- If the sea monkey eggs do not hatch within 48 hours, move the tank to an area with stronger light. Keep the tank away from direct sunlight, however, as this can cause it to overheat
Use the smaller end of the feeding spoon to pick up the food, and move one of these small spoonfuls into the tank. If you do not have a feeding spoon, try using a clean plastic straw as a scoop. It's better to give them too little food than too much.

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Different handbooks vary in their instructions, but most sea monkey tanks will thrive when fed at intervals of five to seven days.^{[2]
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Research source} Only increase the feeding rate or amount if your sea monkey population grows much larger than the initial packet's population, and if there is no sediment on the base of the tank.
If the water becomes cloudy or dirty-looking, stop feeding the shrimp. Wait until the water becomes clear again before adding food.^{[3]
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Research source} This cloudy appearance is usually the result of too much algae, bacteria, or other organisms that can suffocate the sea monkeys if they continue to grow.^{[4]
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Adult brine shrimp digestive tracks become dark when full. If you see this dark line running across a sea monkey's body, it is probably eating well. If you do not, consider feeding them more often, but only as described below.
If you acquire more sea monkeys, or if the population grows, you may need to increase the amount of food or the frequency of feeding. Adjust slowly to avoid killing the tank's population through overfeeding. Reduce the interval between feeding sessions by one day at a time, returning to the old feeding schedule if the water becomes cloudy or the sea monkeys start acting sluggish or uninterested in food. Alternatively, keep the same feeding schedule but switch to the large end of the feeding spoon.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Optional Sea Monkey Products

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Optionally, you may use Super Food instead of Growth food, but only once every few feeding sessions.^{[5]
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Research source} This is supposed to cause your sea monkeys to grow larger and more quickly.
Gro-Kwickly is meant to be added with the small scoop no more than once per week, in addition to the ordinary food.^{[6]
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Research source} This may result in more rapid growth, although the company that makes these products does not explain the difference between this and Super Food.
This packet claims to contain vitamins that make your sea monkeys healthier or more energetic. The most noticeable effect, however, may be the pink or red color that the sea monkeys develop. You may need to feed them Red Magic for several feeding sessions before this becomes visible.
The back of the Banana Treat packet claims that this food has extra nutrients, so it may not be as unhealthy as some human "treats."^{[7]
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Research source} However, it appears that this product is only intended as an occasional treat to excite your sea monkeys, instead of regular food. If your sea monkeys are not excited by this food, there is probably no point in using it.
The Sea Medic packet is not a replacement for food. If you see white balls floating in your tank, fight this bacterial infection by adding Sea Medic daily with the small end of the feeding spoon, until the balls are gone.

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Question

I ran out of food. What else can I feed them?

Community Answer

Sea monkeys love algae. They also eat brine-shrimp food that is most likely to be powdered algae food.

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What type of food can they have?

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The main ingredient of sea monkey food is algae, so if you don't have the packet, feed them algae pellets or grow algae.

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How long does it normally take for sea monkeys eggs to hatch?

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It really depends. If the water quality is perfect, the eggs will hatch in a day or two. Some eggs will take longer to hatch, or they may not hatch at all. Eggs may be in survival mode and will wait for the water quality to be good in order to hatch.

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Warnings

Sea monkeys may die if you do not aerate the tank regularly. Sea monkey kits come with an air pump you can use for this purpose.

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