There's fun and education in every Sea-Monkeys kit.

Sea-Monkeys, a form of brine shrimp, have fascinated adults and children alike for more than 50 years. Introduced in 1957 as Instant Life, Sea-Monkeys were an immediate success. Today there are dozens of tanks, kits and accessories on the market for these low-maintenance pets.

Sea-Monkeys are a cultivated variety of of Artemia salina (brine shrimp) known as Artemia nyos. Able to reproduce both sexually and asexually (without a partner), Sea-Monkeys are large enough to be visible to the naked eye when adults, and under slight magnification as hatchlings.

The Sea-Monkeys story began when marketer Harold van Braunhut brought this common creature into the public eye. In 1960, van Braunhut changed the product's name to the now more commonly recognized "Sea-Monkeys". The appearance of instant hatching when introduced to tap water was a process that was eventually granted a patent.

In 1970, Sea-Monkeys were marketed widely in comic books, complete with inaccurate but appealing drawings of crown-wearing, humanoid creatures. They were depicted as happy and "frolicking" due to the shrimps' fast-paced swimming and quick turnarounds and changes of direction, which gave the appearance that the creatures were performing tricks in the tank. Eventually, in addition to the plastic tank and enclosed food packet, small floating balls were added to the kit for the Sea-Monkeys to "play" with, and other accessories became available to happy pet owners.

Currently, a starter Sea-Monkey kit includes a plastic tank, a Water Purifier packet, an Instant Life Sea-Monkey Eggs packet, Growth Food and a calibrated spoon for measuring the appropriate amount into the tank. Upon arrival of the kit, the new owner fills the tank with distilled or filtered water and empties into it the Water Purifier packet, which contains a proprietary blend of buffers and special ingredients to help the pets thrive.

After a specified period of time, the Eggs packet is emptied into the water. The Monkeys hatch instantly and, though tiny--about the size of the period at the end of a sentence--are visible upon close inspection. (Some Sea-Monkey tanks include magnifying areas so that the viewer can take a more detailed look.) In order to feed the Monkeys, the owner measures the correct amount on either side of the spoon--a smaller measure for new hatchlings and a larger portion for adults. According to the company, the Sea-Monkeys' water never needs to be changed.

Currently marketed under the subdivided entity The Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys with their own website, www.sea-monkeys.com, today's Sea-Monkey owners have a wealth of options for these low-maintenance pets. Owners can spoil their Monkeys with Banana Treat food, Sea-Diamonds "play" toys, Sea-Medic antibacterial, or tanks including Matic Robo-Diver, Explor-A-Sub, and Port-A-Pet Pocket Playpen, among others.

Continued sales to the present day testify to this fun and fascinating shrimp's popularity in current culture. They are considered an "edu-tainment" product by Educational Insights president George C. Atamian, a former astronomy professor and inventor of Educational Science toys.