How African killifish almost became Wham-O's coolest toy of the 1960s

In the 1960s, Wham-O toys nearly gave kids something far more spectacular than the hideously disappointed Sea-Monkeys — an instant aquarium that would spawn colorful, rainbow-hued fish from a cube of dried African mud.

Arthur "Spud" Melin, co-founder of Wham-O (the company behind the Frisbee and Hula Hoop), stumbled upon this potential goldmine during a research trip to Africa. There, he witnessed the remarkable survival strategy of African killifish, which lay eggs that can remain dormant in dried mud for months or even years. Add water, and these eggs spring to life, producing vibrant fish that, as Fact Fiend describes, look like "goldfish attending a rave."


"Wham-O succeeded in gaining millions of dollars worth of orders for their Wham-O Instant Fish," Everything2, but the project hit a wall:

The official Wham-O history states that the problem was that "the fish brought back to America wouldn't mate," although Harold von Braunhut (the originator of a rival "instant fish" product) once claimed in an interview that "the fish didn't work" and claimed that the "buyer at Sears Roebuck almost got fired because of it." The survival of at least some examples of the 1962 batch of the Wham-O Instant Fish complete with packaging proclaiming that "They hatch right before your eyes!" and an original price tag of $5.98, seems to indicate that Whamo-O managed to get some stocks out of the door.

In the end, the African killifish couldn't breed fast enough to meet potential demand, forcing Wham-O to shelve what could have been one of the coolest toys of the 1960s.

Previously:
RIP Wham-O co-founder Richard Knerr
Terrific longread on the origins of Wham-O
Super Balloon – As with all Wham-O toys, so simple yet so delightful
Slip 'N Slide is all sold out thanks to bored kids stuck at home
Light Bulb Baking – The 50-year history of The Easy Bake Oven
Gweek podcast 132: The Wooger Snatcher