Check your aquariums! Zebra mussels have been found in aquarium plant products - KXAN.com

Check your aquariums! Zebra mussels have been found in aquarium plant products - KXAN.com

Check your aquariums! Zebra mussels have been found in aquarium plant products - KXAN.com

Posted: 05 Mar 2021 12:00 AM PST

Zebra mussel inside moss ball

Zebra mussel inside the aquarium plant product called "moss balls." (Courtesy: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department)

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A plant meant for aquariums in the United States and imported from the Ukraine could contaminate your aquarium with invasive zebra mussels, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The plants are called "moss balls" but technically they aren't moss. Instead, they're a type of algae used for decoration and to help improve aquarium health. They're often used in betta fish aquariums and are sometimes sold as "Beta Buddy Marimo Balls," "Mini Marimo Moss Balls" and "Marimo Moss Ball Plants." TPWD says stores should remove these items from shelves, and customers should dispose of them.

People can safely dispose of moss balls by drying or freezing them or by putting them into a plastic zipper bag and then tossing them in the trash.

"Zebra mussels have already been introduced into many Texas lakes and are causing changes to the ecosystem along with damage to boats, water supply and control infrastructure," said Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries regional director. "It is important that we take all possible precautions to prevent them from being introduced elsewhere."

Zebra mussels are small shellfish that have triangular, brownish shells often with zebra stripes, hence the name. They could be attached to or growing inside the moss balls.

TPWD said in a release, "they are very small, growing to no more than an inch in size, and the individuals found on the moss balls in Texas were less than a quarter of an inch long."

Which stores might be selling these moss balls?

Petco and PetSmart are two of the stores TPWD named in its release:

"Petco stores have been working diligently to remove these products from their shelves, and I have informed PetSmart of the presence of zebra mussels within this product," said Jarret Barker, TPWD assistant law enforcement commander. "We urge any other pet and aquarium or retail store selling these 'moss balls' to remove this product from shelves and discontinue future sale."

Don't dump your aquarium water!

Did you know you shouldn't simply dump your aquarium water? That's one of the ways that invasive species often end up in our lakes and waterways. TPWD urges aquarium owners to never dump their tank water. They have an online resource to show people how to dispose of their aquarium water safely.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post Posted: 05 Jun 2016 12:00 AM PDT With exacting precision, the surgeon inserted the scalpel above the eyeball and cut out a snotty deposit of fatty tissue. The routine eye-lift was nearly complete when suddenly the patient awoke, suffocating, and began to flop about on the table. The audience gasped. Knowing time was of the essence, the surgeon scooped up the patient in his arms, raced across the stage, and dropped her into a tank of water. She revived. Because she was a fish. Yes, fish eye-lifts exist. As do fin jobs and tail tucks. The operating theater was a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, where a pet expo was under way. As for the patient, she survived, her formerly droopy eyes now bright and perky. A good thing, too, as this was no ordinary goldfish but rather an Asian arowana, the world's most expensive aquarium denizen, rumored to sell for as mu...
Read more

NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire

Image
NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire Posted: 11 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST ALBANY, Ore. , March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NilocG launches a new website for planted tank enthusiasts to gather and make THRIVE, a plant fertilizer that assures planted tank aquascapes flourish while eliminating the need for multiple products more readily available online. The company also takes it a step further in the industry, making its flagship product easy to dose, super-concentrated, and an all-in-one solution based on an effective EL dosing method with all essential micro and macronutrients. Continue Reading Thrive fertilizer: North America's most trusted aquarium plant fertilizer Colin Grice , CEO, a self-described planted tank lover, re...
Read more

Catching Dory: selling aquarium fish supports coastal livelihoods in Indonesia | npj Ocean Sustainability - Nature.com

Image
Abstract The global marine aquarium trade has created new local markets across the planet, including in Indonesia, now the second-largest exporting country of marine aquarium fish in the world. Participating in the global aquarium trade has been touted as a potentially sustainable addition to fisher livelihoods, but scant data exist showing the numbers of fish coming off the reef and how those fish contribute to income. To determine how participants in the trade incorporate aquarium species in their livelihoods, we examine source-level aquarium fish collecting and trading data in the Banggai Archipelago, a region in Central Sulawesi that has become a significant source for popular aquarium, also known as ornamental, fish species. Using a sustainable livelihoods lens, we examine this data to understand how participants in the aquarium trade both contribute to as well as benefit from the trade and consider how their participation relates to emerging Blue Justice principles. From one year...
Read more