Zebra mussels found in moss balls at pet stores - Drgnews

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Zebra mussels found in moss balls at pet stores - Drgnews Posted: 18 Mar 2021 04:04 AM PDT Recently, natural resource agencies were notified zebra mussels were present in moss balls (a type of algae sold in association with betas and other aquarium fish) sold at local pet stores throughout the state and on a national level. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks wants customers and store owners to properly dispose of moss balls by placing them in a bag, freezing them, and discarding the contents into the trash. Zebra mussels are an aquatic invasive species (AIS), originally from the Caspian Sea region of Asia. They can become established in high densities in lakes and cause significant damage to hydropower and industrial cooling systems, municipal and irrigation water supplies, and boat motors. "The department requests that customers and store owners do not dispose of moss balls down the drain, toilet or other water sources as this could allow zebra mussel to spread further," stated Tanner Davis, GFP's statewide aquatic invasive species coordinator. "South Dakota pet stores and known distributors have been made aware of the situation and have removed all moss balls from their available inventory and we greatly appreciate their immediate action in doing so." South Dakota lakes currently infested with zebra mussels include McCook, Yankton, Cochrane, Kampeska, Pickerel, Lewis and Clark, Francis Case and Sharpe. Learn more at sdleastwanted.sd.gov. For additional aquarium decontamination instructions, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/zebra-mussel-disposal.html.

DNR urges residents to destroy zebra mussels - Dubois County Herald - The Herald Posted: 16 Mar 2021 08:07 AM PDT By The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS — State wildlife officials are urging Indiana residents to destroy invasive zebra mussels that could be hiding in so-called moss balls sold for aquariums. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday that aquarium owners should destroy any Marimo moss balls they have purchased this year from any aquarium or pet supply store because they might contain zebra mussels. Zebra mussels have the potential to harm Indiana's aquatic environment. The mussels have light and dark stripes on their shells that resemble the stripes of a zebra. The DNR said moss balls should be disposed of in a sealed container in the trash to prevent them from entering local waterways. They should not be discarded in drains, waterways or gardens. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has instructions recommended for destroying the moss balls and cleaning and disinfecting any aquariums that had housed them. People who purchased the moss balls should also email AIS@dnr.IN.gov with the source of the moss balls, the approximate date of purchase and photographs of zebra mussels on the moss balls. Zebra mussels are one of the most destructive invasive species in North America, and they have been found in pet stores in at least 21 states from Alaska to Florida. The DNR is working with aquarium and pet supply stores to remove and properly destroy all affected inventory.

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