EcoSphere 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 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.

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.

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!

I bought this for my wife for Christmas - with almost no care needed (just light and heat), you can watch these little guys swim around and really be amazed at how a simply designed, fully contained eco system can function all on its own. Of course we just look at it to be amused and don't think too deeply! :) UPDATE August 2014: We're closing on 3 years in, and there are still 3 shrimp swimming around in there! They spent a month in a box when we moved from California to Texas, and had no problems upon retrieval. Great, GREAT product. :) UPDATE February 2015: 3 years plus, there are still 3 shrimp swimming around. If I could give 6 stars I would. Update Christmas 2015: Still going strong. 3 living shrimp after 4 years! Update October 2016: We still have 3 living shrimp after 5 years! I don't know what the lifespan of these little guys is, but my wife thinks there is some multi-generational inbreeding going on. lol Update November 2018: 7 years later, we still have 3 living shrimp. It's pretty cool! Update May 2020: 8 and a half years later, and there are still 3 living shrimp. It's quite an amazing little ecosystem. 2021: happy new year! 3 shrimp still alive. 9 years and still going strong. 2022 update: 3 shrimp still alive, very impressive after 11 years. :)

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 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.

These shrimp are known as super shrimp & can live up to 20 years in their natural habitat but in the ecosphere they live maybe 5-10 years. This product is so messed up. I am so sad I bought this torture chamber and I didn’t do more research. Now I’m just searching for an expert to help me break this sphere open and hopefully let these shrimp live a happy life. Here’s a breakdown of what this sphere actually is please do not buy it’s awful: This comes from Marc, owner of seahorse.org and was posted at syngnathid.org by David. Please read, The Hawaiian Red Shrimp is probably one of the most amazing creatures out there. It is a shrimp of the extremes. Coming from anchialine ponds in Hawaii, it had to develop a host of abilities to survive in very hostile environments and circumstances. Hence, this shrimp became a "Super Shrimp" of sorts over its millions of years of evolution. The Opae ula (as this shrimp is called in Hawaii) can take temperature extremes, salinity extremes (from fresh water to more than full strength saltwater), environmental extremes (lack of food for months or years) and supposedly manages to live for more than 20 years if given the right conditions! Sadly, this little shrimp is currently being abused by being sold in tiny, spherical, fully sealed glass containers widely called "ecospheres." It is claimed by the companies that sell them that they are selling a fully functioning ecosystem with the shrimp and the algae keeping each other alive. However, that is a sad and devious lie, which is being propagated by these companies for the sake of profits and to the detriment of these wonderful animals. The truth is that these shrimp are slowly *starving to death*, *suffocating* and being *poisoned* in those containers, due to lack of food and oxygen, and the accumulation of shrimp waste. This kind of container would kill any other shrimp within a few days, but it takes 1-3 years for Hawaiian Red Shrimp to finally die, since it has developed such a remarkable physiology to deal with extreme situations. During this 1-3 year torture, they actually *shrink* (every time they molt) due to lack of food, which means that they are basically consuming their own body. They could perfectly well take all the other extreme conditions in those "ecospheres" (lack of air etc.), but what kills them in the end is the lack of real food over a long period of time. The little algae they find in the container lacks in nutritional value and is just not enough to keep these shrimp alive for long. It seems to be "in" and "cool" to have these tiny torture containers sitting on one's desk nowadays, but hopefully this website can contribute towards informing the general public about what is really behind those "ecospheres." It is my sincere hope that this shrimp becomes widespread in the hobby at some point in time, so that there will be no need to buy "torturespheres."

Llegó en perfecto estado con 4 camaroncitos. Todo muy activo y bien. Hay que cuidar la luz que le da para que no se eleve su temperatura y buscar el emplazamiento ideal para que las algas se generen pero sin exceso. Muy interesante el ecosistema.

I have bought two of these now and both times, the recipient was very impressed. Most recently bought as a group present for our university tutor and he was speechless! If you want a present to amaze, this is the one!

Ich bin absolut Begeistert. Auch der gesamte Kaufprozess verlief reibungslos.

I think most of the shrimp survived. Don't panick if it come and all the shrimp seems dead. And it is very rare that all the shrimp survive all the years. The smaller the shrimp are, the longer they seem to live. I have and other one at home and it has 8 years, the same shrimp still alive!

Kam schnell und ist ein tolles, einzigartiges Geschenk! Sehr faszinierend, wie die kleinen Garnelen umher schwimmen.