Amazon.com : Ecosphere Small Sphere : Aquariums : Pet Supplies

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WARNING:

CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.
CHOKING HAZARD -- WARNING: This product contains small magnets. Swallowed magnets can stick together across intestines causing serious infections and death. Seek immediate medical attention if magnets are swallowed or inhaled.

From the manufacturer

small sphere, ecosphere, shrimp, enclosed ecosystem

What is an EcoSphere?

The EcoSphere is a completely closed, balanced, glass ecosystem. Inside each EcoSphere are shrimp, algae, and microorganisms in salt water. Because the EcoSphere contains everything it needs to thrive, you never have to feed the life within, or change the water. All that is needed is a comfortable room temperature (between 65 and 80 F) and a source of light.


EcoSphere Handbook Each EcoSphere comes with a handbook detailing how to take care of the EcoSphere. Also included is an outer cleaning magnet that, when matched up with the magnet inside the EcoSphere, can be used to clean the inside of the EcoSphere.	Shrimp in the EcoSphere The EcoSphere contains active marine shrimp that feed on the algae inside the EcoSphere. Each model of EcoSphere contains a certain number of shrimp based on the interior volume.	Early EcoSphere Production Ecosphere Associates, Inc. is a family run business based in Tucson, Arizona. From startup in a small office complex Ecosphere Associates, Inc. has grown to a successful global company with manufacturing partners around the globe. To date, almost 1 million EcoSpheres have been manufactured.

Product Description

Small Sphere EcoSphere (4" diameter). This fascinating enclosed world contains 3 to 4 marine shrimp, algae and micro-organisms. Made from hand blown glass, each EcoSphere is a completely enclosed, self-sustaining little world. The EcoSphere only needs indirect light and comfortable room temperature (between 60F and 80F. ) The EcoSphere works on the basis that a closed system recycles its nutrients and does not produce excess waste. The shrimp consume the algae and micro-organisms and they, in turn, break down the shrimp waste. External light, either artificial or natural, keeps the algae growing. There is no feeding or water changes required.

Product details

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4 x 4 x 3.5 inches; 2 Pounds
Item model number ‏ : ‎ SS-504
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ August 26, 2011
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Ecosphere Associates, Inc. - DROPSHIP
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005IZOB5M

Best Sellers Rank: #75,754 in Pet Supplies (See Top 100 in Pet Supplies)
- #177 in Aquariums

Customer Reviews:
2,961 ratings

Product guides and documents

Product Documentation (PDF)

Important information

Ingredients

glass, saltwater, marine shrimp, magnet, algae

Directions

Keep EcoSphere away from direct sunlight and between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit

Legal Disclaimer

Due to the live nature of the product EcoSpheres only ship to the contentinental USA, they cannot be shipped to Alaska, Hawaii, AFO/FPO, PO boxes, nor Internationally due to export/import requirements.

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Customer reviews

5 star		78%
4 star		8%
3 star		4%
2 star		3%
1 star		8%

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MJB

Donner Party: Shrimp Edition

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2018

Verified Purchase

My sphere came with 4 inhabitants: Kabob, Creole, Gumbo and one who died so early on that I can't even remember what we named it.
After the first one died, a month or so after purchase, the others took to eating what was left of him pretty instantaneously. And then there were three.
Around October another of the shrimp died. The remaining shrimp feasted on the carcass, I mean truly there was nothing left after a few days. And then there were two.
Last week I had to break it to my husband that we'd lost another one. Curiously, this little fella's remains stayed intact, so I can only assume that the last shrimp was a vegetarian.
Sadly, when I checked the sphere this morning, I found that my little herbivore friend has perished too. And then there were none.

This seemed like a cool concept, but in retrospect I wish I'd not purchased this in the first place. Maybe if the shrimp had stayed healthy and any of them had lasted for more than 8 months I might feel differently, but I really cannot recommend this product to anyone.

June 2017-February 2018. RIP Shrimps.

861 people found this helpful

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Claire

Think Carefully Before You Buy

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2018

Verified Purchase

I've been waiting to post this review until I had a good idea of how my EcoSphere experience would go. Suffice to say, it has turned out to be extremely disappointing. I should start by saying that I am not an amateur. I have a degree in biology and have successfully raised many aquatic creatures, big and small. I understand that there is some contention about whether the lives of these shrimp are happy, or, as one reviewer put it, a "gulag" experience. I have to say I fall somewhere in between these two views. Yes, it is true, these shrimp are small, and to many people insignificant, and would probably end up as fish food if they didn't end up in your EcoSphere. But they are also living, breathing things, that should have the freedom to seek a better environment if required. Instead, they are trapped in a bubble, and forced to succumb to the whims of their EcoSphere owner. In 99% of cases these whims are full of good intentions. But in such a small environment, heat, cold, PH and so many other factors are impossible to control to satisfaction. To reiterate again, I have years of experience at keeping little aquatic critters like these shrimp alive, and yet I am three months in and two of them have died already. So, I ask you, the potential buyer, would you rather have a pet you care about, put time and energy into, and love properly, or a pet that requires minimal input but dies easily? Perhaps you are the latter, and that is okay, but consider-would you rather have your shrimp be a part of the natural food chain, or roast, freeze or suffocate to death because you couldn't find that perfect, medium spot for them to enjoy. And trust me, no matter how attentive you are, no matter how long your shrimp live, you will feel responsible in the end and you should know that you did not give them the opportunity to live a long life, or die quickly, that they would have had in the wild. I know it's morbid, I know this review is pretty awful, but I just can't condone this kind of business, and I feel truly, truly guilty for supporting it, in any small way. I'm not telling you not to buy this product, but I'm warning you, so you can make an educated decision, and decide if you want to take on the burden of responsibility that I now feel.

777 people found this helpful

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Golden Fawna

Not too bad! I will say after reading some of your ...

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2018

Verified Purchase

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.

276 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Make Your Own Stand For FREE!

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

Fast shipping, cool product, IF YOUR HANDSY YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN STAND FOR FREE! I used the styrofoam it came with and carved out the size I wanted and used some paint I had laying around to make it look like a beautiful rock base.

UPDATE: 6/5/2019 - Have had this on my desk at work for 3 years now and still have 1 little guy kicking.

823 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Very smart present

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

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!

One person found this helpful

Mr D.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2017

Verified Purchase

I received the small sphere today and it is great. Thanks so much. S W

Stephanie

My second experience and I recommand

Reviewed in Canada on November 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

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!

4 people found this helpful

Galilée

Well packed but one shrimp 🍤

Reviewed in Canada on October 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

Arrived super well packed but there was only one shrimp in it. Not 3.
They gave me 20$ refund for this.
Hope the shrimp will last.
I'll give update in a couple of months.

5 people found this helpful

Snoopy

Super Kundenservice

Reviewed in Germany on December 23, 2021

Verified Purchase

Die EcoSphere sieht toll aus und ist ein super Geschenk, auch wenn es erst im 2. Anlauf geklappt hat. Die erste Kugel kam leider mit langer Verzögerung durch den Paketdienstleister an. In der Wartezeit standen wir aber schon im sehr guten Kontakt mit einer Mitarbeiterin des Kundenservice vom Tefalfolien-Shop, welche sich super gekümmert hat und uns selbstständig auf dem Laufenden gehalten hat. Leider machte Sie uns kaum Hoffnung, dass die Garnelen noch lebend ankommen. Und so war es dann auch, die Garnelen waren leider nicht mehr am Leben. Aber auch hier hat sich die Mitarbeiterin super gekümmert und hat sofort eine neue EcoSphere per Expressversand losgeschickt. Diese kam auch einen Tag noch der Versendung im besten Zustand bei uns an. Das Weihnachtsgeschenk war also gesichert. Nochmals vielen Dank an die super Arbeit der Mitarbeiterin des Kundenservice.

2 people found this helpful

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Brand	EcoSphere
Color	Clear
Material	Glass
Item Dimensions LxWxH	4 x 4 x 3.5 inches
Item Weight	2 Pounds
Style	Deco
Shape	Round
Target Species	Shrimp

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EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, Sphere

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WARNING:

From the manufacturer

What is an EcoSphere?

EcoSphere Handbook

Shrimp in the EcoSphere

Early EcoSphere Production

Product Description

Product details

Product guides and documents

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

Legal Disclaimer

Customer questions & answers

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries