INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has a warning for aquarium owners.
The department said in a release Tuesday that zebra mussels, an aquatic invasive species, have been found in marimo moss balls. The balls are sold at many aquarium and pet supply stores, DNR said.
The mussels, which have a light-and-dark-striped shell that look like zebra stripes, can potentially cause harm to the state's aquatic environment. They are tiny, DNR said, so it is easy to overlook the mussels.
Zebra mussels are native to Eastern Europe and are "one of the most devastating invasive species in North America," the FWS said. The mussels can alter the food chain and water chemistry, as well as clog pipes, close beaches and damage boats.
The department urges anyone who bought marimo moss balls from any store this year to destroy them, throw them in the trash, then clean their aquarium. The DNR says the moss balls can be destroyed by freezing them, boiling them or submerging the ball in bleach or vinegar. Moss balls that were boiled or destroyed in bleach or vinegar can be poured down a household drain, but never dumped into a storm drain, where it could damage local waterways.
Click here for more instructions on destroying and disposing of moss balls, as well as how to properly clean your tank after the balls have been removed.
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, zebra mussels have been reported in moss balls in 26 states, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Washington.
Hoosiers who have purchased contaminated moss balls are asked to email Indiana DNR at AIS@dnr.IN.gov and provide the source of the moss balls, an approximate date of purchase, and photos of the zebra mussels on the moss balls. The department is working with stores to identify and destroy any infected inventory.
