Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, X-Large Sphere

I purchased a small Ecosphere as a birthday present for my dad. I presumed that the Ecosphere would be a kit, like Sea Monkeys: the box would include an empty glass sphere, some powder to mix with water, a little wooden branch, some dried algae that would come back to life, and a coupon to send off for the shrimp, which would not be included in the box. Wrong. The Ecosphere comes complete, with everything already inside, and sealed tight. You take it out of the box, and it's good to go. The shrimp are inside swimming around, the algae is in there, along with the little branch, some decorative gravel, and some little jewelry-like bits in the gravel. So, if you buy one, plan ahead: You don't want to leave it tucked under the holiday tree for several days (or weeks!). Ideally, you'll want to get the sphere out of the box and into indirect sunlight the day it arrives or fairly soon after then. That's what I'm doing--guiltily enjoying my gift to my dad because the party is still a couple of weeks away, so the sphere is out of the box and in some gentle light. The Ecosphere itself is very, very cool. The 4 shrimp are pretty tiny, maybe as long as my pinky fingernail is wide. But the glass sphere acts like a lens and makes them look much bigger. The shrimp are pretty active a lot of the time, zooming around chasing each other, and are fun to watch. The gravel, sparkly bits, and branch have a simple, organic elegance to them. I could see the Ecosphere being a very classy--if distracting--desk accessory. And since the Ecosphere is completely sealed, there's no real maintenance to it beyond making sure that it's in a spot that gets enough indoor light or indirect sunlight, but not too much, so that the algae grows enough to feed the shrimp but not take over the sphere, and so that the sphere's temperature stays within 60 - 90 degrees F. That's it, just pick the right spot. I might just end up getting one for myself...

I recently purchased the EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, Small Sphere, and I'm completely captivated by the miniature world it holds within. This little marvel is not just an aquarium; it's a self-sustaining ecosystem that brings nature's beauty right to my desk. Pros: Low Maintenance: The EcoSphere is incredibly easy to care for. With minimal maintenance required, it's perfect for those who want a slice of nature without the hassle of constant upkeep. Fascinating Ecosystem: Watching the tiny shrimp swim, eat, and interact within this self-contained sphere is utterly mesmerizing. The delicate balance of life in such a small space is a testament to the wonders of nature. Beautiful Design: The small sphere is elegantly designed and makes for a unique and eye-catching addition to any space. It's a conversation starter, and everyone who sees it is immediately intrigued. Educational Value: This EcoSphere provides a wonderful opportunity for learning about ecosystems, the water cycle, and the delicate balance of life. It's a great educational tool for both kids and adults.

The PERFECT gift for my father that is very difficult to find. He's going to love it! PROS: - Such a unique little gift - They may claim that the shrimp only last a couple of years, but from the reviews I have read they can last up to ten. - This was sent when weather was below freezing so I was very worried about the shimp. The package actually came with a warmer, so the shrimp would stay the perfect temperature. - All of the shrimp looked different, so you could tell them apart. - They were all very active which I was not expecting - It was so cool that the algae was sort of just floating around in separate little pieces when I opened it. I left it on my work desk and noticed a little green ball of algae at the bottom of the system the next morning. Overnight, the shrimp gathered all the pieces and somehow formed them into a ball. - Seriously, how cool is this?!?! CONS: - The price is a little steep and I would reaalllllyyy love to get a medium or large system for myself but am not willing to pay that much. - You don't know exactly what your system is going to look like or how many shrimp you are going to get (which was actually pretty fun for me - especially since I got the max number of fish expected. **UPDATE** My dad absolutely loved this gift! He was confused at first upon opening it since he wasn't sure exactly what it was. Once I explained the system to him and he saw the shrimp swimming around his face lit up! He called today to let me know just how much he enjoyed having it at his computer desk and reported that all four of his shrimp were doing well and were all very active. This gift was by far worth the money and I plan on purchasing from this company again for myself and others in the future.

I purchased this item (medium sphere) in November of 2015 as a Christmas gift for my mother. When I gave it to her a month and a half later (I took it out of the box during this time, don't worry!) I made sure to give her all the instructions so that she could care for these little guys without any issues. It has been almost three years and she has only lost one shrimp! She started off with 7. Not too bad! I will say after reading some of your reviews and seeing the photos I can clearly see why some people left bad reviews from their photos alone. If there is a bunch of green algae in your sphere it is getting TOO MUCH LIGHT! Move it away from the light source. This will throw the eco system off balance and your shrimp will die, which seems to be the common denominator in most of the poor reviews. Ideally you shouldn't really see much green algae if your sphere is healthy. My mother followed the instructions and her sphere is still sparkling and beautiful with 6 out of 7 shrimps still kicking after 3 years. My grandmother was gifted one the same Christmas and hers all died in a couple months because she put them too close to a window. Just follow the instructions and you'll love this beautiful little work of art for many years.

Just got this. It arrived only yesterday, but it is the coolest thing ever and a huge hit as a birthday present for my teenage daughter. She is a big fan of science so the whole concept of a completely self-contained ecosystem is fascinating to her. The sphere was really well packed for shipping. It was nestled between two large blocks of styrofoam that had been carved out to the exact shape needed. This kept the little guys' home safe and sound through the rigors of delivery. When I opened the box and lifted the top half of the packing away, I could immediately see three little shrimp zooming around frantically in their little world - no doubt stimulated by the sudden incursion of light. Packed along with the sphere was an informative flyer and instructions on how to care for the little buggers. There is also a little magnet that you can use to drag a cleaning device around on the inside of the glass. You can also use this to rearrange the plant inside. The plant is not magnetic of course, but there are little gravels in the bottom of the sphere that you can drag around, thereby affecting the position of the plant. This is definitely worth the price. It may seem a little expensive to pay $60 for what appears to be not much different than Sea Monkeys, but the value is in the concept of the closed system and how it sustains itself, provided you supply a source of light. The sphere itself is of exceptionally high quality and makes for a beautiful desk accessory. My daughter loves this thing. She is the envy of all her friends. I would buy this again in a second if I had it to do over again. Thinking about ordering one for my desk at work, but I am not sure I can guarantee light on the weekends or holidays. The instructions say the sphere needs 6-8 hours of light each day. Bottom line? Get one. You won't be disappointed!

It's the perfect gift for that person who is extremely hard to shop for; I.e. does not like material things! I bought this a few years ago for my husband's birthday and he loved it! It lasted for over 6 months. Unfortunately due to a lack of central air conditioning, they could not survive through the summer; if it gets more than 80 degrees sometimes in your home, I wouldn't recommend keeping it at home. I don't blame this on the manufacturer. My husband could not keep it at work since his cubicle is not by a window, and you need some sunlight since there are plants (algae) in the ecosphere. Overall, my husband loved it and it was definitely a high-quality product. Will purchase for him again once I move back into a "less charming" modern apartment or when he moves into an office with a window.

I'm a college junior and I had a lot of success with "sea monkeys" in my freshmen year. Well, during my sophomore year, none of my sea monkeys developed in a new tank that I spent a lot of $$$ on and I lost confidence in Sea Monkeys...but I still wanted some type of "pet" in my college room... Well, I find out about this ecosphere. It's pretty expensive but one thing that appealed to me was that it's "completely sealed" so, unlike sea monkeys, I wouldn't have to worry about changing dirty water....I bought it, along with a lot of other stuff for my room. Well, I receive a bunch of packages in my student mailbox so I just throw them all into a push cart. Yes, little did I know that I was throwing my ecosphere on it's side with all the shrimps screaming in darkness and terror. Well, I open it and (first of all) am very surprised it arrived so soon. Mine came with 4 shrimp - ALL ALIVE, despite being thrown around like a normal cardboard mailing box. It was so well cushioned with cardboard and I have to say that for the premium price I paid I felt I got premium shipping and packing service. Anyway, the ecosphere is wonderful and has met my expectations. EXCEPTIONALLY elegant! I was worried there might be some water or scum residue when I open the package but it's truly sealed up and the cleanest "aquarium" I have ever owned (coming from a guy who has experiences with fish poo in tanks, etc. Overall, the shrimps are fun to watch and I'll probably ship it with me out of state once I move out of my room and go back home. I've made some long term friends!

I bought the ecosphere as a Xmas gift for my husband, who has everything he needs, but this is something fun he's been wanting for a long time. Beware of shipping: if being shipped on a very cold day make arrangements to avoid having the box sit outside for any length of time. The ecosphere company website says they won't ship if that cold, but amazon being a different entity- shipped it to us a day earlier than expected, on the coldest day of the year and left it right outside our house with no one home. These are live animals, and every precaution should be taken to mark the shipping package and protect them from extreme temperatures. I would have been happy to go to the nearest ups location to pick up the package, rather than finding dead animals in the ecosphere like we did. We did report this to Amazon in hopes that they start to follow the same precautions as the Ecosphere company does when shipping. We did have a hassle free return, and received a replacement ecosphere. We've had the sphere for three months now, and the little shrimp are fantastic and active! They are so much fun to watch! My husband keeps them at his office and we've never had trouble in terms of where to keep them (we've kept them out of direct sunlight). Needless to say, there is no maintenance involved, just watch and enjoy! In response to people who post regarding the inhumanity of the ecosphere, as a teacher I am used to receiving live animals for scientific study. At the end of the science unit, I am not allowed to release some of the animals as they will disturb the local habitat. I think of the ecosphere as a scientific study- they are bred for observation and would not survive if simply released.