They are filter feeders and pump water over their gills, filtering out small animals and plankton for food. Zebra mussels have microscopic larva, invisible to the naked eye, and can float in the water undetected for three weeks to three months depending on water temperatures. Once attached, they can form layers of living mussels that clog intake pipes and render cooling systems on boats inoperable. The invasive mollusks attach to hard surfaces, including rocks, stumps, boats, weeds, other mussels, boat motors, piers and the inside of water intake pipes. The mussels have a D-shaped shell and alternating light and dark stripes. They have been identified as one of the most destructive invasive species in North America. 21 Zebra mussels can clog water intakes and pipes water treatment plants. Zebra mussels also cause problems for boaters by attaching to hulls and motors. Zebra mussels are prolific breeders and can smother native mussels with their sheer number, or outcompete native species for food. The facility that imports the moss balls has been quarantined and all shipments of moss balls have been stopped, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The North Carolina Wildlife Commission reports it has received notice that it appears the moss balls were imported from Ukraine to a distributor in California that recently shipped contaminated product to pet stores nationwide.
Aquarium owners are being asked to properly dispose of the algae product and decontaminate their tanks to prevent the potential spread of zebra mussels. State and federal fish and wildlife agencies are asking retailers to remove moss balls from their shelves. Wildlife agencies across the nation are sounding the alarm that invasive zebra mussels have been detected in moss ball products designed for aquarium use, and commonly sold with fish and aquarium supplies, including retailers PetSmart and Petco.
0 kommentar(er)
