Like its taxonomic relatives it is an omnivorous predator that feeds on other small organisms, such as algae, rotifers, and nematodes.

[2] However immediately it was turned down to be a valid species due to its extreme morphological similarity to Milnesium tardigradum (Doyère, 1840).

However, in the early 20th century more research was conducted in relation to the morphological differences within the Milnesium and other tardigrade genera.

[2] In 1928 zoologist Ernst Marcus conducted an experiment, synonymizing M. alpigenum along with Milnesium quadrifidum against M. tardigradum.

Due to the sympatric nature of the speciation within most of the Milnesium Genus, the pre-zygotic isolating factors between M. alpigenum and M. tardigradum are currently unknown.

Thus it is predicted that these species do breed, but are unable to produce viable offspring due to post-zygotic factors.

Its method of locomotion is to use its six front legs to propel itself through water and to occasionally use its claws to grip onto substrates.

[3] They manage to counteract these extreme environmental stresses by going into a dormant state called cryptobiosis where their metabolism decreases to approximately 0.01% of its regular levels.

This allows for M. alpigenum to conquer unreliable/unfamiliar environments by increasing genetic diversity giving higher chances for advantageous traits and thus inter-generational survival.

[4] Other research has shown a shortage in a subset of genes also found in nematodes, another member of the Ecdysozoa superphylum.