Invasive species found in common aquarium plants could ‘wreak havoc,’ officials say
Several wildlife agencies across the U.S. are warning that a popular aquarium plant may be harboring an invasive mussel species that could cause major damage to ecosystems.
Wildlife agencies in Montana, Colorado and Oregon say aquarium moss balls sold under the name Betta Buddy Marimo Ball have been found to have invasive zebras mussels.
The moss balls are “incredibly common — every pet store has them,” Tom Woolf, invasive species bureau chief with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency, told the Helena Independent Record.
“This is a national issue. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is involved and they’ve been found from Alaska to Florida, so they were shipped everywhere.”
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday it was alerted to the issue after hearing that an employee at a Seattle Petco found zebra mussels inside the product.
The agency said it visited a store Wednesday in Salem and found “viable zebra mussels” in the moss balls. They were removed from shelves.
Live zebra mussels have also been found in moss balls in Idaho, though those found in Montana were all dead, the Record reported.
“We urge all pet stores to immediately remove this product from their shelves,” Rick Boatner, ODFW Invasive Species Program supervisor, said in a news release. “Our concern is that invasive mussels from this product could get into the wild, start a population and do serious damage.”
The zebra mussel is about the size of a finger nail and gets its name from the zig-zagged stripes across its shell, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
They pose a major threat to the ecosystem because they filter out algae that some plants need for food and often attach to native mussels, incapacitating them.
They can also disrupt the food chain and change the chemistry of the water, the ODFW said.
Zebra mussels are such bad news that it’s not uncommon for power plants to spend millions of dollars removing them from water intakes that are clogged, according to the USGS.
Officials say the moss balls need to be removed from aquariums and disposed of immediately.
Freeze or boil them before throwing them in the trash, but don’t flush them, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Thursday.
If zebra mussels enter waterways, “they can wreak havoc on aquatic ecosystems, outdoor recreation, hydroelectric power equipment and the economy,” the agency warned.
You’ll also need to disinfect your aquarium.
After removing the balls from the tank, take out the fish and add household bleach to the water — about one cup per gallon of water — the ODFW said.
Let it sit for 10 minutes then pour the water down the sink. You should also disinfect filters, gravel and other structures with a bleach solution, the ODFW advised.
