I think I'm starting to see where the name "Sea-Monkey" comes from. The largest of my brood are now in excess of 1/4-inch long, at least half of which is tail. So with their little black eyes set high on their heads like monkey ears, and their long, thin tails trailing behind, you can squint your eyes, sniff some paint thinner and envision the little beasties as swimming monkeys. Almost.
Their legs or fins (whichever they are) are becoming more distinct. They still retain a collectively diaphanous quality; yet have a noticeable ribbed appearance that distinguishes the individual limbs.
The entire colony has been very active this week, constantly darting around the Ocean-Zoo. Often a Sea-Monkey will curl into a tight ball and somersault in place for a moment before stretching out and resuming its journey. Some of this behavior may be related to moulting.
The froom at the bottom of the tank holds special appeal. They dip their faces it in, sometimes having a little wallow in the muck, then trailing fragments of tank scum upward as they return to their circling. Another new development: If I'm not mistaken, the little dark-green granules that now highlight the topography of the tank floor may be Sea-Monkey poop.
The life of a young Sea-Monkey is a solitary one. Each conducts the business of the day completely oblivious to the presence of all the rest. Occasionally one Sea-Monkey will bump into another, but they shake if off without acknowledgement and return to their separate agendas.
I am still awaiting my shipment of Red Magic vitamins. The Sea-Monkeys are all the same algae-green as their food, so I'm hoping that a little artificial coloring will jazz things up.
So that's my final report for this week. Monday will mark another feeding and another growth-spurt opportunity. We'll see what happens!
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