Zebra Mussels for filtration?

[MN_Rebel]

Zebra mussel are illegal to keeping for very good reason.

 

[blorbic]

Thanks for the advise. I live right on Lake St. Clarie, which is infested with them from freighters dumping their ballast. I also just realized that this should not go in the north American native as they aren't

 

[Moontanman]

I've often wanted to try Zebra mussels in an aquarium, their legal status has kept me from trying that. I do use Asian clams as they are very common here in local streams and lakes. If you live some where that Zebra mussels are already endemic I can't see the harm as long as you take measures to keep them out of sewer pipes and such. I'd check with local laws before I did it. Better safe than sorry.

 

[teleost]

I've often wanted to try Zebra mussels in an aquarium, their legal status has kept me from trying that. I do use Asian clams as they are very common here in local streams and lakes. If you live some where that Zebra mussels are already endemic I can't see the harm as long as you take measures to keep them out of sewer pipes and such. I'd check with local laws before I did it. Better safe than sorry.

Moon, As I understand it, Zebras don't parasitise fish like other mussels we're used to. As said earlier, their larva are microscopic and I wouldn't be at all confident about not spreading them; unless you happen to distill all of your used tank water and autoclave anything that touches your tanks.


Edit: Sandtiger...you were banned?

 

[Moontanman]

Moon, As I understand it, Zebras don't parasitise fish like other mussels we're used to. As said earlier, their larva are microscopic and I wouldn't be at all confident about not spreading them; unless you happen to distill all of your used tank water and autoclave anything that touches your tanks.


Edit: Sandtiger...you were banned?

I understand how they reproduce but wouldn't washing the water into a septic tank pretty much stop any possibilty of spread? If you already lived in an area where they are wide spread wouldn't worrying about keeping them in an aquarium be similar to worrying about shutting the barn after the horse was gone?

 

[ShipOfFools37]

I understand how they reproduce but wouldn't washing the water into a septic tank pretty much stop any possibilty of spread? If you already lived in an area where they are wide spread wouldn't worrying about keeping them in an aquarium be similar to worrying about shutting the barn after the horse was gone?

It's along the same lines that we cannot keep snakeheads in several areas. I'm from Maryland, and they obviously didn't catch/kill every snakehead which got released, they're still catching them in the local rivers and such. I know Zebra Mussels are at the top of the list for invasive species, especially up around the Great Lakes. Same with the guy from Syracuse with Rocky the snakehead. While he had no intention of releasing the animal, he still got fined and the animal was confiscated (or is due to be euthanized, jury is still out on what will happen to Rocky).

If you were to be caught with Zebra Mussels in your tank, you would most likely be fined among other things. Even though I'm sure there would be no intention of releasing them into the wild. Keeping zebra mussels in a tank seems to be asking for trouble, IMO. Plus what has already been stated regarding the mussels clogging up all tubes and becoming more trouble than they're really worth. The fact is that they're invasive and they're too much of a liability, as they're causing a lot of trouble in the Great Lakes and they're already making their way into the Chesapeake Bay.

 

[Moontanman]

First of all i would like to state categorically that i am not suggesting anyone keep zebra mussels but if you live in an area where they are already thick as fleas on a stray dog how could keeping them cause a problem? How would escaping back to where they are already established cause a problem?

I am well aware of the problems of preventing escape into the wild, I have an aquaculture license and and I know the importance of not spreading exotics into the wild. I question the possibility of zebra mussels actually causing a problem in a small closed aquarium, i see no way for them to obtain food so the old "they will stop up your filter tubes" is BS in my opinion.

I keep clams and mussels in my aquariums and feeding them is a problem, there simply is not enough food in an aquarium to keep mussels alive much less support a reproducing population. Taking zebra mussels out of thier already established range would indeed be a bad move. No one should do it.

 

[sandtiger]

I question the possibility of zebra mussels actually causing a problem in a small closed aquarium, i see no way for them to obtain food so the old "they will stop up your filter tubes" is BS in my opinion.

Like I said before, I kept them. They did fine despite no additional effort on my part to care for them. At the time it was just a 10g aquarium and the only one I had, I can imagine it becoming a real hassle if some got established in my aquariums today.

 

[sandtiger]

Edit: Sandtiger...you were banned?

I was, but this probably is not the place to talk about that. PM me if you wish to know the details.

 

[MN_Rebel]

First of all i would like to state categorically that i am not suggesting anyone keep zebra mussels but if you live in an area where they are already thick as fleas on a stray dog how could keeping them cause a problem? How would escaping back to where they are already established cause a problem?

I am well aware of the problems of preventing escape into the wild, I have an aquaculture license and and I know the importance of not spreading exotics into the wild. I question the possibility of zebra mussels actually causing a problem in a small closed aquarium, i see no way for them to obtain food so the old "they will stop up your filter tubes" is BS in my opinion.

I keep clams and mussels in my aquariums and feeding them is a problem, there simply is not enough food in an aquarium to keep mussels alive much less support a reproducing population. Taking zebra mussels out of thier already established range would indeed be a bad move. No one should do it.

I really dont think anyone should keep Zeebs as it is prohibited species and illegal to transport them.