Sea-Monkeys are a marketing term for Artemia brine shrimp that were sold through mail-order catalogs and the backs of comic books from the 1960s to the present day. Nowadays, these shrimp are marketed not through catalogs but instead through online promotion, yet they still remain a popular novelty item—although arguably not as popular as they were during the 1970s and ’80s.

Even so, someone has decided to celebrate these little pets with their own holiday, known as National Sea Monkey Day, which is celebrated annually on May 16th. This is a great day for people to start their own Sea-Monkey colony or maybe even purchase some of the Sea-Monkey merchandise available online.

Amazing Facts About Our Sea-Monkey Friends

Although we had Sea-Monkeys as children, we didn’t know much about them until we started the research necessary for this holiday article. What we found out about these little brine shrimp is quite amazing, so we decided to share it with everyone reading. We hope that it brings you some enjoyment when you celebrate National Sea Monkey Day on May 16th.

• Artemia salina, or Sea-Monkeys as they’re popularly known, were and still are sold as fish food in pet stores.
• Sea-Monkeys were originally marketed as “Instant Life” and didn’t come with their own tank.
• “Instant Life” originally sold for 49 cents. For that price, you received the shrimp egg packet, the nutrient packet, and the food packet for the shrimp.
• “Instant Life” was later named Sea-Monkeys because of their tails, which looked like monkeys’ tails.
• Sea-Monkeys breathe through their feet.
• There was a CBS show that aired in 1992 called “The Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys.” It only lasted 11 episodes.

Observing National Sea Monkey Day

Anyone wishing to enjoy this holiday can take a few moments to learn more about the Sea-Monkey phenomenon or by purchasing some Sea-Monkey eggs and starting their own colony. While celebrating this holiday, they should also take the time to spread the word about it using the hashtag #NationalSeaMonkeyDay on their social media accounts.