SmithsonianPrehistoric Sea Monsters 23x17 inches

I have bought Triops before and had success. I've researched. Made sure everything was the right temperature. The right water. I planned to use this as a floating hatchery. Nothing hatched. It's been 4 or 5 days. I usually am seeing babies LONG before now.I'm not even convinced there were more than a few eggs in the soil that it was sent with. I know what they look like and I saw maybe a few floating around.Overall, this is the worst kit I've ever bought. I will not be back. I definitely recommend just buying the eggs from one of the other sellers here. I know there are complaints about there being less than 200 in a vial, but I bought them several times and I know I'm getting hatches and way more than whatever this kit sent.Super disappointing.

I LOVE these kits...I have bought them a FEW times over the years for myself and my kids... HOWEVER THIS TIME THINGS WENT DIFFERENT...but not necessarily a BAD thing... I used half the package of eggs like it said to. I ended up with 2 triops over an inch long.. they molted every single day (I don't think I was over feeding, but maybe?) anyway...they lived just over a month...one died...and 5 days later the other one died. it was cool to see the egg sacs on one of them... ANYWAY...so I cleaned the container out and dumped in the other half of the eggs...this time...for the FIRST time EVER (I have bought probably 4 of these kits over the years) but anyway first time ever...last week a little one hatched but I didn't notice until about day 4 that it looked DIFFERENT than all the other triops..the eyes...triops eyes are on top next to each other...these little eyes are on each side of the head...its now a bit over a week old..its NOT a triops..I googled it...its a little fairy shrimp!!! never had one of these before! cute cute!!

Nearly 2 weeks after setting everything up according to the provided instructions, and there is no life present in the ridiculously small/thin rectangular tank.The tank looks like a nice white sandy beach with a bunch of sawdust floating at the top.I've tried slowly agitating the tank to ensure that all of the saw dust at the top gets a chance to be completely submerged in the water, so that any potentially hidden eggs would be fully saturated, and would hopefully promote life, but sadly nothing.I'd recommend steering clear of this one.It's cheap for a reason, does not have a high rate of incubation.

Bought it for a friend's 11 year old son for Christmas. He loved it. We are now 2 1/2 months on and they are still alive. We started with 13 that hatched but slowley have moved our way down to one. Not because they die but because they are cannibals so they eat each other. But still pretty cool to watch. Hatched very soon after eggs were placed in water, and then over the next couple of days they kept hatching. Brine shrimp eggs were a part of the mixture so they had something to eat. We did use distilled water. And have kept a lamp on it this entire time. Only thing I would have liked to change was wish the tank was a little bigger and had a lid. Also wish there was a way to buy extra food. Overall great purchase and fun for the whole family and anyone else who comes over to observe and learn from.

Unfortunately, this science kit did not go well for us! My son bought it with his own chore money, and it was terrible. None of the eggs from the original kit hatched. I figured there must have been a problem, so I contacted the company and they did send more with a sheet with more suggestions. None of the eggs from that batch hatched either. My poor kids have spent numerous days of their summer vacation waiting for "sea monsters" that have never happened. Plus, my son spent his own money to do it! I am now in the process of trying to get him a refund. I have had other Smithsonian kits that have been good, but this is not one of them!

We ordered this kit for our 10 year old child. After carefully following the directions, getting that water temp where it says it needed to be, then adding the "eggs", we have yet to see any life in the tank. It is well beyond the time frame they suggest to allow the "eggs" to hatch. Would not recommend.