It's too bad they're so destructive, invasive and illegal, in some ways. They really are attractive critters and would probably do okay in an aquarium when other bivalves typically do not.
WYite
PSA re: Betta Buddy Marimo Ball
- Thread starter dudley
- Start date
It's too bad they're so destructive, invasive and illegal, in some ways. They really are attractive critters and would probably do okay in an aquarium when other bivalves typically do not.
WYite
I know the zebra mussel thing was huge deal like 30yrs ago in my area w/ lake Erie and the Niagara river. You don't hear much about it anymore. I know some of the cooling water system we use at work draws off the mighty Niagara and was built with provisions to filter out some of the zebra mussels. It's mostly been removed since it was never needed to capture any.
It's been some time since I vacationed near there, but I know ~20yrs ago swimming in the St. Laurence river, if you walked barefoot across submerged flat rock surfaces, you'd cut the heck out of the bottom of your feet on zebra mussels.
It's been some time since I vacationed near there, but I know ~20yrs ago swimming in the St. Laurence river, if you walked barefoot across submerged flat rock surfaces, you'd cut the heck out of the bottom of your feet on zebra mussels.
Am I correct in assuming this moss ball is actually no a live moss ball but an imitation manufactured. I also see these are from Hagen which is a surprise because this is a decent company.
This makes this whole incident a lot more unusual. I can understand a zebra mussel in a live moss ball, but they had to be stupid and/or careless for this to be in a synthetic product that isn't live.
My opinion of Hagen has just gone down a bunch. I have been buying AquaClears as well as the marina hang on circulating traps for a few years. if they can mess the fake moss ball up this badly, who knows what they might be doing to their other products?
It was assumed the zebras got into the great lakes from shipping. Ships from Asia brought them to ports around the world.
I have never heard nor read of the live moss balls from Japan being contaminated with mussels.
This makes this whole incident a lot more unusual. I can understand a zebra mussel in a live moss ball, but they had to be stupid and/or careless for this to be in a synthetic product that isn't live.
My opinion of Hagen has just gone down a bunch. I have been buying AquaClears as well as the marina hang on circulating traps for a few years. if they can mess the fake moss ball up this badly, who knows what they might be doing to their other products?
It was assumed the zebras got into the great lakes from shipping. Ships from Asia brought them to ports around the world.
I have never heard nor read of the live moss balls from Japan being contaminated with mussels.
I can't imagine that. I've stepped on a single individual of native species while fishing (I like to fish bare foot and in shorts rather than in waders) and that hurt like crazy. I can't imagine a surface covered with them.
One of the biggest fears here (among many fears about them) is that we are in the upper reaches of several river systems, and while some mussel and clam species aren't threatened in Wyoming, neither are they common. These species are struggling in downstream states and the introduction of zebra mussels could devastate the survival of these native species.
They aren't even a moss, but an algae, and they naturally occur in colder regions of the Old World. Of course, zebra mussels are native to Europe. I'm not sure how many are cultured, but from what I've read a lot are still collected from the wild, and I think I read something in one of these articles that the ones for the BettaBuddy brand are from Ukraine. I've read various articles that seem to be contradictory about the success of culturing them. There's actually a lot of info out there but it isn't consistent.
WYite
From what I know about the moss balls is the ones I had were of Japanese origin. Apparently they may also be found in lakes in Northern Europe. I know they are algae 
I no longer use moss balls in tanks, it had been well over a decade now.
What is below is from https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/85295#tosummaryOfInvasiveness
To date, D. polymorpha has been the most aggressive freshwater invader worldwide. Dreissenids are the only freshwater bivalves that attach to hard substrates in high densities and have a planktonic larval stage. This life history facilitates their abilities as invaders, and allows them to become enormously abundant when introduced into a new water body. Once introduced their populations can grow rapidly, and the total biomass of a population can exceed 10 times that of all other native benthic invertebrates (Karatayev et al., 2002).
D. polymorpha is native to the drainage basins of the Black, Caspian and Aral Seas. During the nineteenth century its range has expanded westward to most of western Europe, the UK, and North America, where it is found in the Great Lakes and all major river drainages east of the Rocky Mountains and causes multiple economic impacts on fisheries, aquaculture, water attractions and aquatic transport.
I still do not understand how live mussels get into synthetic moss balls?
I no longer use moss balls in tanks, it had been well over a decade now.What is below is from https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/85295#tosummaryOfInvasiveness
To date, D. polymorpha has been the most aggressive freshwater invader worldwide. Dreissenids are the only freshwater bivalves that attach to hard substrates in high densities and have a planktonic larval stage. This life history facilitates their abilities as invaders, and allows them to become enormously abundant when introduced into a new water body. Once introduced their populations can grow rapidly, and the total biomass of a population can exceed 10 times that of all other native benthic invertebrates (Karatayev et al., 2002).
D. polymorpha is native to the drainage basins of the Black, Caspian and Aral Seas. During the nineteenth century its range has expanded westward to most of western Europe, the UK, and North America, where it is found in the Great Lakes and all major river drainages east of the Rocky Mountains and causes multiple economic impacts on fisheries, aquaculture, water attractions and aquatic transport.
I still do not understand how live mussels get into synthetic moss balls?
Though it wasn't stated in any of the articles I linked to, I think these are live Marimo balls and not plastic or synthetic. Well at least the algae portion is live, maybe its grown on a synthetic form?
I can easily see veligers attaching to marimo balls in the absence of a more suitable substrate, especially if the balls are being artificially cultivated. It wouldn't take much water contaminated with planktonic offspring to result in a contamination of a closed propagation set-up. It's also assumed that zebra mussels are 100% sessile, but that's inaccurate. If the byssal strands are broken and the mussel is dislodged from its attachment point, the mussel can still use its foot to move in search of an appropriate attachment point. In places that have a high population of the mussels, it's not hard to see how a fair number could be dislodged and either become entangled in the algae or be harvested with the ball before they can find a more suitable attachment point.
WYite
Now confirmed in at least 6vl states...
www.reef2rainforest.com
PIJAC UPDATE: Zebra Mussel Problem Growing in Scope - AMAZONAS Magazine
Invasive zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have now been confirmed as contaminants in marimo moss balls in at least 12 states. It appears that contaminated marimo balls were imported from Ukraine, and distributed to pet shops nationwide.
www.reef2rainforest.com
Thanks for the update
D
dougall
!
I wanted to add that it is possible non-pet stores also may have received a product from the distributor so be aware that it may not be limited to the product brands listed in the articles already posted. I have seen some ads online for moss balls that have been pulled from sale with no explanation but some still remain.
I wanted to add that it is possible non-pet stores also may have received a product from the distributor so be aware that it may not be limited to the product brands listed in the articles already posted. I have seen some ads online for moss balls that have been pulled from sale with no explanation but some still remain.
