Okay, so I got this Triops kit for my science-loving nephew, and WOW these little guys are metal AF. Watching them cannibalize each other was like a tiny Jurassic Park in my kitchen (maybe skip this part if your kid is squeamish).

The red-brown survivors are actually gorgeous though - like miniature horseshoe crabs that go nuts for food. When they swim up to grab pellets from your fingers? Adorable chaos.

PRO TIP: The included container is basically a plastic shot glass. Upgrade to something bigger fast unless you enjoy daily water changes (I learned the hard way). But the limestone and spirulina powder? Total game changers for hatching success.

Only one of mine lived past the Thunderdome phase, but that little warrior lasted THREE MONTHS! For $20, getting front row seats to evolution's weirdest reality show was totally worth it.