Zebra Mussels.....this is all we need!!

walihunter

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 29, 2015
Posts
14
Likes
0
Points
71
Aquarium moss balls infested with zebra mussels found in Bismarck, Fargo
6046687b7411f.image.jpg




BLAKE NICHOLSON
North Dakota wildlife officials are asking fish aquarium owners to properly dispose of moss balls after invasive zebra mussels were found in some product sold at pet stores in Bismarck and Fargo.
Moss balls are popular with pet fish owners because they create oxygen in tanks and absorb pollutants. But infested moss balls from the Ukraine have been found in numerous states.
The U.S. Geological Survey last week found zebra mussels in “Betta Buddy” brand Marimo moss balls at a Petco in Seattle. Marimo moss is a rare form of algae from Northern Europe and Asia.


"It quickly became apparent this was not an isolated incident, but a national issue," said Ben Holen, aquatic nuisance species coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The moss balls are in multiple brands that have numerous U.S. distributors, he said.


Department officials confirmed zebra mussels in moss balls in Bismarck and Fargo pet stores.
"There's likely others around North Dakota, too, but those are the ones we got out to quickly," Holen said.


The department last Wednesday and Thursday contacted all pet stores in the state and had them remove moss balls from their shelves.
"We're still finding more and more brands that have issues," Holen said.
Game and Fish also is requesting sales records from stores to try to track how many of the moss balls were recently sold.
Zebra mussels compete with native species, clog water intakes and can even sink docks and buoys with their weight. Adult zebra mussels were discovered in the Red River in 2015, and they've since been confirmed in Lake LaMoure, Lake Ashtabula, the James River and the Sheyenne River, all in eastern North Dakota.


Game and Fish has been working to try to stop the westward spread of the mussels through various methods, including requiring anglers and other outdoors enthusiasts to take precautions such as cleaning aquatic vegetation from fishing equipment and watercraft.
"Any time you have a zebra mussels pathway like this that we haven't identified before, it's concerning," Holen said.


Infested moss balls put down a toilet or drain could contaminate area waters such as rivers. The proper way to dispose of them is to seal them in a bag, freeze them and put them in the trash. Alternatives to freezing are boiling or submerging in bleach or vinegar. For more information, go to https://gcc02.safelinks.protection....N27w3wzzWFObCYBMyR9sUpaNSANkHzRd8=&reserved=0https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/zebra-mussel-disposal.html.


Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.
 


Vollmer

Founder
Administrator
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Posts
6,344
Likes
854
Points
483
Location
Surrey, ND
The odds are not in our favor on this one, I feel.
Those things will end up in our lakes out of this, I'd be willing to bet.
 

CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
Don't dump your aquarium trash in lakes. Period. End of story. What am I missing?
 

Mr. Stevenson

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2020
Posts
2,017
Likes
13
Points
186
May as well acquire round gobies in stand-by. They prey on ZM and provide excellent forage. IMHO. Altering a native food chain doesn't upset me.
 
Last edited:


fishhunter

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Posts
64
Likes
0
Points
73
Don't dump your aquarium trash in lakes. Period. End of story. What am I missing?

Must be missing where the sewage lagoons end up. Take garrison as an example. Hence the reason they said not to flush. you don’t have to dump directly....
 

CatDaddy

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
3,587
Likes
1,572
Points
588
Location
Casselton
Must be missing where the sewage lagoons end up. Take garrison as an example. Hence the reason they said not to flush. you don’t have to dump directly....

Yes - that make sense. Also accounts for the "shitty" fishing I usually have!
 

PrairieGhost

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 15, 2015
Posts
10,327
Likes
683
Points
443
Location
Drifting the high plains
When these things get started we are never able to stop it, and most times its our falt. For example carp are still invading. Often some person likes them and releases them where they want them, not realizing they eat millions of game fish eggs, and the silt from their rooting kills the eggs they dont eat. Even plants like leafy spurge is spread mostly by people. Birds get the blame, but its people. From house sparrows and pigeons to other animals, plants, and disease we either accidentally, by arrogance, or by accident keep spreading things most of us dont want. Someone thinks carp would be good, another thinks importing broom grass would be a good idea, and another thinks he could make money with a game farm. We are slow learners.
 


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 164
  • This month: 136
  • This month: 121
  • This month: 110
  • This month: 105
  • This month: 87
  • This month: 84
  • This month: 79
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 76
Top Bottom