Moss ball: State agency finds invasive species inside aquarium, pet store products - The Augusta Chronicle

Moss ball: State agency finds invasive species inside aquarium, pet store products - The Augusta Chronicle

Moss ball: State agency finds invasive species inside aquarium, pet store products - The Augusta Chronicle

Posted: 01 Apr 2021 12:00 AM PDT

Bill Baab  |  Fishing Editor

The Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, along with wildlife agencies across the country, is urging both pet and aquarium stores and aquarium owners to safely dispose of any moss ball plant after invasive zebra mussels were discovered inside the product.

Officials at the Georgia agency were alerted after reports from Washington state indicated the zebra mussels were discovered attached to and inside the moss ball plants. One brand was the "Betta Buddy Marimo Ball" found at a local PetCo store. Visits to multiple pet chain stores in Georgia confirmed the presence of those mussels not only in that brand, but in other products.

PetCo stores across the nation have since removed the product from their shelves, officials said. The product can be safely disposed of by freezing it for 24 hours or boiling it for at least 10 seconds before throwing it in the trash. Owners who may have infected aquariums are urged to remove the fish and thoroughly clean the tanks, applying one cup of household bleach per gallon of water and letting it set for 10 minutes.

Officials warn consumers to not flush the product or mussels down the toilet or discard them outside. Zebra mussels cause millions of dollars in damage to boats and water intake pipes while creating ecological harm to native mussels and other aquatic life.

"Currently, there is not a known established population in zebra mussels in Georgia state waters," said Jim Page, the state's aquatic nuisance species coordinator.

Fishing report

Capt. David Willard, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed, full-time professional fishing guide specializing in hybrids, striped bass and trophy largemouth bass – Boat phone: (706) 214-0236. Residence: (803) 637-6379. www.crockettrocketstriperfishing.com – We've been fighting heavy rain, thick fog and high winds. Surface temperatures are in the high 50s and likely will be lower following the predicted colder temperatures earlier this week. We fished last Saturday and the fog was so thick, visibility was zero until noon. So we pulled live herring behind planer boards and free lines (no sinkers) and caught some nice striped bass and largemouths off the long, shallow points on the South Carolina side just above the dam.

Capt. Eddie Mason, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed, full-time professional fishing guide specializing in hybrids, striped bass and crappies. Cell phone: (706) 829-0428. Residence: 1 (803) 637-5395. www.masonsguideservice.com – Strom Thurmond Lake's level is slightly over full pool at 330.49 feet and the surface temperatures are around 60 degrees. We've been fishing for crappies up Georgia's Little River, long-lining which is trolling rubber jigs off 16 rods. Last Saturday, Bob Mudd, Clarksburg, W. Virginia; Dennis Sadler, Georgetown, Ky.; Robert Tune, Michigan, Vince Lingo, Alabama and Charles Mudd, Moberly, Missouri, all enjoying their day off from Plant Vogtle, joined me on the lake.  We wound up with a great ice chest full of crappies and enjoyed a day of fellowship. Last Thursday, Cleo Baylor, Hank Hightower and Johnnie Bowman, all from Springfield Missionary Baptist Church in Edgefield, S.C., joined me as we pulled planer boards out of Hickory Knob State Resort Park. We didn't catch a limit of stripers and hybrids, but we enjoyed catching what we did. Last Tuesday, Danny Saxxon of Savannah and Mark Green of Ridge Spring, launching the boat from the Modoc ramp. No limit again, but we caught enough to keep us happy.

BEAUFORT, S.C. & VICINITY

Capt. Ralph Goodison Jr., Fripp Island. 1 (843) 986-4070 – We've had lots of sea fog, but the fish don't care. Inshore, we are seeing a stronger bite from big red fish, black drum and spadefish. Whiting are biting, while fishing is just fair for spotted sea trout and flounder, Fair catches of black rum,, spadefish and redfish are being made around Fripp's Maxwell Bridge, Wardle's Landing and South Beach. The drydock, Fripp Tire Reef and around the 6HI buoy, bottom fishing is good for black sea bass, black drum, spadefish and vermillion snapper. Offshore, the wahoo bite is improving while small bull dolphins and blackfin tuna are showing. Happy Easter!

SAVANNAH, GA.

Miss Judy Charters, Capt. Judy Helmey, 1 (912) 897-4921. www.missjudycharters.com 124 Palmetto Drive, Savannah,  GA 31410 – It's the time of year where if you have a supply of live or dead shrimp, you can cast it out, let it go to the bottom and most likely you'll get some sort of b ite from  some sort of fish. It may not be what you're hoping to catch, but at least you'll get a bite. Live shrimp can be fished "naked" or you can add the traditional popping float. For the best bet, fish the rig around live bottoms, meaning oyster beds.

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