Worried about invasive, destructive zebra mussels coming into the state, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking aquarium and pet store shoppers in North Bend and Stayton areas who may have purchased marimo moss ball products in the last six months to contact the agency.
This urgent call comes after the detection of zebra mussel-infested moss balls from a pet store in Renton, Wash., on August 8, 2024 . Unfortunately, two uncertified shipments related to this product made their way to Oregon.
Moss balls, commonly used in aquariums, are regulated as nursery stock with production and sale under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Moss balls are considered a vector for zebra mussels based on previous interceptions and must go through proper importation and certification to make sure they are free of zebra mussels. In this case, ODA did not receive notification of the shipment, so was unable to inspect the shipment.
The primary concern is the inadvertent release of live adult mussels or their microscopic juvenile mussels into waterways through storm drains or flushing.
Zebra mussels can quickly take over once they get established in a waterbody. They will cause disruption of the food chain, change the chemistry of the water which can cause more blue green algae outbreaks or offensive taste, and clog water intake and delivery systems for drinking water, irrigation and hydro power.
After contacting ODFW regarding moss balls, consumers are advised to safely dispose of moss balls by either freezing or boiling them before disposing of them in the trash. Do not flush moss balls down toilet.
For aquarium owners cleaning tanks that contained moss balls, the agency srecommends removing fish and applying household bleach to the tank prior to disposing of the water (one cup of bleach per gallon of water). Let the bleach treat the water for 10 minutes before dumping down a sink or toilet. It also recommend disinfecting filters, gravel, and structures with a bleach solution before disposing of the water.
In 2021, zebra mussels were detected in moss balls in Oregon and supply stores quickly removed the products. At that time, ODFW created a how-to video on safely cleaning your aquarium and disposing of moss balls, https://youtu.be/DeLXmPDW23s
Help keep Oregon free from invasive mussels by contacting ODFW if you recently purchased moss balls (541-962-6583) and by properly disposing of them.