Bought a moss ball from a MN petco around 6 months ago, when I got home I noticed it had a zebra mussel on it. I know how invasive they are so I destroyed the mussel and did a thorough inspection of the ball before I added it to my tank. I returned to petco the following day and told the store clerk about the mussel and they literally said, "Oh, bonus!" This problem has been going on for a while and I am glad it is being addressed
Alot of people are unaware of what these can do. When i was in Michigan everyone new about them. Were I moved to now I wouldn't blame Joe Bob the 18yo at petco for not understanding the issue with it until its explained to them.
Zebra mussels have been isolated, reproduced, and the offspring from the isolated mussel behaves identical to the parent. Can’t say that with any virus
@@royr2854 1. Not relevant to what was said 2. Closer to 97% (yes, it makes a difference) 3. Rest in Peace to the almost 3million people that make up the fatal 3% & condolences to their families (and lets not even mention the “recovered” ones that will have lifelong health issues and disabilities from their ‘recoveries’ @jose you’re right, but for the hobby they’re even more protective of their fooshies than themselves. So they would still take the mussle invasion more seriously lol
the thing that surprises me the most about this whoel thing is that a petco employee was actually knowledgeable enough to ID a zebra mussle. its super rare to find anyone at a petco or any big box pet store that has a clue about aquatics.
It wasn’t a pet co employee, a lady in one of the Axolotl Facebook groups I’m in found and reported it to pet co then came to the group not knowing what else to do.
I had a super mega pet store employee ask me about there's "weird", fish thatjept getting imported with their guppies. After I showed him a photo of it describing how cool they were. It was a dragon nymph...... Either way told him to dispose of it as it could be dangerous for both environment and the guppies.
Wow this really could be a main contributing factor as to why zebra mussels are such a widespread problem because there’s no way this hasn’t been happening for a long time.
Some time ago I read that they are suspected to have showed up as a result of large export cargo ships dumping hundreds of gallons of ballast water after delivering their goods.
@@bizzzzzzle yes obviously that’s one of the biggest factors same with waders and boots. I’m just saying that this could definitely be another large contributor
I was actually at the pet store the other day and asked about moss balls, as I was getting the supplies to start a new tank (first one with live plants instead of plastic) And they told me about this. I was so disappointed at first because of not being able to get moss balls. Then I was panicking because they said it was zebra muscles. I hope a lot of people see this video, especially those who need to.
About a month ago, I was in the South Portland, Maine PetCo to get some supplies, and I noticed all their live plant tanks were roped off and had "not for sale - quarantine" signs on them, and all their shelves of moss ball cups and plants in plastic sleeves were wrapped up and also had signs. I asked the guy who works there what was going on, and he said, state officials had come in and said all the plants had to be inspected because of suspected invasive snail infestation. He didn't know much about it other than every tank with live plants had to be put under quarantine until those tanks had been inspected and confirmed free of the snails. He didn't say what type of snails it was that they were looking for, but I wonder if it was these zebra mussels? Seems like it must be since it just happened same time as all this.
Only in America lol. America don't even have black currant fruit missing out on things like Ribena drink, because it kills your pine trees. We just chose black currant and chopped down our pine trees lol
@@mr-mrsknow-it-all2998 it’s better to miss out on something than to let a possible invasive species wreak havoc on the ecosystem and possibly destroy crops and therefore some impacts on the economy and availability of food for certain people.
@@mr-mrsknow-it-all2998 black current was banned in 1911 the logging industry (more profitable than black currents) was booming between 1840 and 1940. Not arguing just informing if you didn’t know
@@christophergomez872 I'm not arguing either. Just a funny thing to point out, that's all lol. They made the wrong choice though, because the logging industry isn't booming now.
I went to the fish store yesterday and their moss tank had "Not for sale by order of the U.S. Dept of Agriculture" scrawled across it. They had actually found a zebra mussel in a moss ball.
I was gifted some moss balls about 8 months ago and I noticed a mussel on one of them while I was quarantining them. I put them out in the sun to dry them out. Looks like this has been going on for quite a while.
I've have bought several dozen from several places over the last couple of years. If they had zebra mussels on them I would have tanks full of them. Probably a new issue from an isolated source, I hope.
Only this is a new problem. I went to a fish store in Phoenix yesterday and their moss tank was closed because they had found a zebra mussel on one of their moss balls.
@@reverendfatheruncleruckus Isolated as in the region the moss is being harvested from.. if regions 1-7 all export moss balls but let's say region 4 is the only one withe the zebras it would be Isolated to that region and other regions moss balls may be allowed back in if confirmed to be zebra free
its nice to see someone in the aquatics hobby make a video on this and raise awareness-- I'm not involved in the hobby really, I just watch occasional videos, but I am involved in naturalist communities and I did see this whole thing come up. Word about invasive pests and this kind of stuff tends to go under the radar, or it's just never really properly explained; so a super solid, informative straightforward video like this really does make a difference 👌 love to c it
In Australia moss balls have been banned for a long time because of biosecurity risk, the usual treatments to sterilize them through legal importation kills the moss balls- It's just not possible to import them without getting rid of risk. I'm glad to know that it wasn't just needless paranoia. It's still relatively easy to illegally import them here though, often people buy them without realizing it was illegal- with some cases of authorities chasing up these folks and the sellers, nuking tanks with algaecides etc. I think people in the US have been very lucky to be able to have such loose laws with many exotic species, but it comes with a huge environmental cost. There are many species that I can never keep in Australia, but that's fine- you can't have everything you want in life.
There is a massive problem with them in the reservoirs in Spain. My husband stepped on some and they broke into a million pieces in his foot. I bet that they could really f up filters etc. this is so scary! I’m side eyeing my moss balls now.
I work at a pet store, and we had to quarantine all moss balls. The store keeps them in little cups, not tanks. Then fish and game officials came to take them. They told us to keep the water they were in, pour bleach into it, and let sit for 24 hrs. The official said don't pour the water down the drain once it's set, pour it outside.
Probably not anymore... who has time for moss balls when your being shelled and invaded. Who knew that those moss balls where actually Russian🤔 well according to Russia anyway.
For anyone who actually finds a mussel in their tanks: I live very close to the great lakes so in my area this is 100% something the wildlife section of the government will help me with (anyone in Ontario can do this, but I don't remember who you call) I'm sure lots of areas/countries will also have a similar program so it's worth asking about Okay, so if you find a mussel in your tank, get all your fish out of there into another tank and get everything into buckets and containers that won't leak. When I say everything, I mean, decorations, plants, substrate, all the water, everything. Somebody from the government might be able to actually come and pick up your infected stuff, then you just clean your tank really well and start over. Zebra mussels have been hurting the fish population in the great lakes so I don't trust them to be very healthy tank makes for fishies, any of y'all who use live plants , go out and get a second tank for emergencies if you don't have one, if you do have one u might as well make sure it's cycled. As for dumping the water into grass, just be careful because there's still a risk of zebra mussels getting into ground water, septic, and storm drainage systems depending on where you pour it out & how much water you are dumping.
I wonder how much cross contamination will be/is an issue. If big box stores are keeping moss balls in their tanks, could these mussels get on other plants, fish, shrimp, snails, ect?
Interesting that some suppliers say they keep the moss balls at lower temps for long periods... the Great Lakes here in Canada/US mostly freeze on top and the zebra mussels survive under the water in those very cold temps that the moss would likely not survive in for longer time frames. Boil, Freeze solid, Dehydrate in the sun, all three 😆.
I put worse things down the drain every day. You should have seen what I flushed after this morning’s coffee. This doesn’t follow common sense-from your yard, water is much more likely to go into a storm drain or pond. If your sewer system is draining into a nearby pond, you have bigger issues than zebra mussels.
The Petco employee reported to "Parks and Wildlife" 🤣 those mussels are hitching rides on peoples boats from lake to lake spreading all over..... they are here in Colorado
7:35 In this instance if there are zebra mussels or the water is contaminated the aquarium water needs to be sterilized as pouring the water in the yard could easily find the larvae getting to natural water sources from animals, insects, and birds. Boil it, bleach it, or freeze it, alongside cleaning the tank.
It shocks me that the officer you spoke with knew nothing about this until now. It was 20-30 years ago that New York had a HUGE problem with zebra muscles. I’m kinda shocked, to be honest. I understand the gap in time, but, wow.
Because that came from boats, and had nothing to do with aquarium supplies. They believe zebra muscles first arrived in the north east on cargo ships when they emptied their ballast tanks. From there they likely hitched a ride on sport boats to lakes and rivers.
@@dehydratedculture9126 also, people like you is why it got banned. Not controlled. Plus, if you have them. They'll track it back to you. You'll pay the huge like $10,000 minimum fine, not me tho. 😂 i got all my mossball a year ago. No hitchikers.
If there on moss balls how can we tell other plants haven't been contaminated? Lol as I'm typing this watching you just mentioned that too . I have been wondering this. Tissue culture seems to me to be the safest way now.
Have moss balls for years in my tank now (actually never brought them, I guess the fragments come from the plants I brought from petco when I start the hobby). Never saw mussels in my tanks and haven't get any new plants for two years. I guess I'm safe on this one.
Thx a lot Aquapro, I just recently started the hobby, and equally just recently got 3 moss balls, I'm in the UK and after a bit of research, we have had this little invaders here for over 200 years. What I decided: I have a small tank and an extremely large collection of plants (can you see where I'm heading?), the reason for getting moss balls and a tank was to explore water plants, or increase the variety of plants I keep (and of course may as well put some fish in it lol) as a recycler I collect the water from my changes and then use it to water my plants. Now that I'm aware of this issue I will not ever discard any excess water (this could happen in the winter) in the drains, I am fortunate to have a garden. I'd like this to be a suggestion to other hobbyists, like who live in a flat... just keep some plants to drink up that water which will be full of nutrients, and the little critters will perish in the soil... Many thanks for posting this video 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Here in Michigan, it wasnt just the moss balls. They also looked for other invasive species as well (i.e. Dojos or weather loaches). Please remember folks- because there are so many “common names” doesnt mean that what you purchase is NOT on the prohibited list! Also, please please please stop releasing unwanted fish and creatures out in to the native lakes!!
@@00believe000 there is now a population of them in the wilds in the southwest part of the state now. People really do just dump unwanted aquarium life in to the waters. Last year, we pulled a large red devil out of an inland lake. There are also plants and the prohibited list as well. Not only are these situations bad for our native species, it is very bad for our hobby.
In an apartment, I'd drain the tank into the tub and toss bleach in there, just like the tank. I almost bought my roommate moss balls for his tank last month. So glad I didn't
@@gottobekidingme i wonder if anyone keeps a culture of them for puffers in general, I'm near the great lakes just kinda worried about grabbing some😅lol
@@deb5110 only things I'd be worried about are parasites, figure if they attach to the sponge filter or silicon in the corners the puffers would find them. They'd probably do a number on any onther kind of filter with moving parts though.
I'm so thankful for your video. UA-cam recommended your video. We got our moss balls in January. We still had one We kept in the original container. We had bought 3 mini ones in one container from Pet Smart. Wouldn't you know We have zebra mollusks in it. I used the link you provided to report what we have. I now how 2 tanks that have to be cleaned properly and destroy the infected moss balls. Thank you so so much for this information and the links.
Now i'm just thinking about the moss balls in the lifebearer and shrimp tank where it can hitchhike everywhere especially if the owner is breeding for provit and sold it to various places :/
How about treating moss balls with copper before putting them in aquarium? Copper kills most freshwater invertebrates, without harming the moss. One could then wash the mossball off after it was treated if you put it into a freshwater aquarium with invertebrates.
I've been studying up about getting my first tank and getting a betta for months.. I finally started purchasing all the plants (including moss balls) about 1.5/2 months ago and finally purchased my fish 2 weeks ago... only to find out about the zebra mussels 3 days later... it was a wild ride 😂🥲
I’ve had the same moss ball for ages before this happened, so I think mine is good, my betta would revolt if I took it because he sleeps on it and pushes it about in the tank.
I just started my first planted tank and I had bought multiple moss balls from my local petcos/petsmarts like a couple weeks before all this went down. Sites were recommending destroying moss balls that had been purchased in the last three months. I was sooo sad because I love moss balls. Then I had to clean the tank pretty thoroughly and mess up my scape and my cycled water. I’m fairly certain that I didn’t have zebra mussels because by the time I destroyed my moss (boiled them to death lol) it had been over a month with no sign of them. Still didn’t want to risk that they might still be in the invisible larval stage though. It’s ok, as a newbie maybe I overreacted but its worth the peace of mind. I really hope they get everything situated and safe, mussel-free moss balls can get in stores again relatively soon. I think they’re so cute and my Betta and shrimp loved them. Thanks for the video!
the petsmart I work at was visited by an officer from our state’s department of conservation a few weeks back who asked about the moss balls! we were already on top of it and quarantined them that morning lol
Canyon lake community water system in Texas found the parts of pipes were incrusted with these zebra mussels. Couldn’t drink the water for a bit till pipes were replaced .
I was so confused when I didnt find any mossballs cause I was looking for plants to put in my 5 gal I am setting up for a betta. Someone told me they heard it was some kind of bacterial infection from months ago but it surprised me to find out that it was an invasive species pulling all of them off the shelves. It's been like a year and they're still banned (?) and I probably won't be getting any mossballs any time soon.
I bought some betta buddy moss balls from petco 3 weeks ago didn't see anything at first really at all for 3weeks. Thought i was safe. But yesterday i saw a weird egg like thing on them took them out put in a bowl & tore open they where full of these weird egg like things (100%not sand) so i called & they said yes they r infected & boil them then put in plastic bag seal & toss so i did. After that i had to drain & redo my tank many hrs later i was done & dumped the water on my lawn (as i was told). Now i think is a better safe than sorry issue it was scary & stressful. So if u bought them tear them & look & keep your eyes open. Unless its petco just boil & toss those.
It wasn’t a pet co employee, a lady in one of the Axolotl Facebook groups I’m in found and reported it to pet co then came to the group not knowing what else to do.
Hardly any channels are talking about this, so kudos! Glad you put your water change into the yard, but sadly by now the larvae are spread far and wide since many people don't. And as you say there's no way to sterilize everything. Invasives are a big problem for the hobby, and you will see more regulation coming along the way things are going. My pet peeve is White Cloud Minnow, it's on everyone's Top 10 List, but banned in many jurisdictions in Canada and US, and that's never mentioned in the reviews. Newbies aren't going to care about prohibitions they'll just get what's suggested.
Reading and hearing about this makes me VERY happy that I dispose of tank water in my garden, where there is zero risk of it entering water sources of any kind, rather than down the sink.
As a resident of the Great Lakes area, I can confirm that Zebra Mussels are a massive problem. They reproduce absurdly fast and can clog up pretty much any water system. They also leave really nasty, sharp little shells all over the beach both in and above the water. The only upside is that the beautiful Long-Tailed ducks who once only passed through have now taken up year round residence on the lake and have turned the pests into a food source. They have been a tax on the native shellfish species who, unlike the Zebra Mussels, struggled in the long polluted waters of lakes like Ontario and Erie. Although we've done a lot to clean up the lakes, Zebra Mussels and Gobis are both still huge issues.
I live in the Great Lakes area, where Zebra Mussels are a big deal. The local schools in my area, or at least mine, have educated us on the problems they cause as far back as middle school. Anyways, I'm an animal care technician and the other week, a local ranger came in to check our plants for moss balls. Luckily, our manager seems to already have been aware of the situation, because in our most recent shipment she stored all the moss balls in the freezer, and we haven't sold them since.
it will be another blip on the radar. We went through a similar issue with live plants and apple snail eggs back in the late 90's. (I'm not surprised the issue is related to Petco, they get all of their "pre-packaged" stuff from a single supplier and he gets bettas from what are barely better than sweat shops in Sri Lanka.
@Dani Masterson a lot of plants grown in Florida used to be collected and grown in outdoor ponds. Because most aquatic plants grow faster in the emerged (above water) form, they were generally grown in low water and the tops just cut off. There would sometimes be snail egg clusters on the stems of Bacopa and Wisteria.
I'm in New Hampshire and I bought some Shrimp Buddies from Petco (the ones that come in a bag). I unfortunately found some in mine. Luckily it's a small tank.
I’ve lived in the Great Lakes region my whole life...my dad always complained about zebra muscles growing up. They cover the bottoms of boats, the harbors, even on the propellers...oddly enough I was JUST looking at moss balls last night at Petco glad I didn’t buy some
Zebra mussels are just about everywhere in the US since the 1950s and 1960s. This is just clickbait. DNR, park rangers, and wildlife officials tend to be out of the loop about everything and they mainly focus on hunters and fishermen. Go speak to a local fish biologist if you have any serious concerns, most are pretty cool to chat with. This is mostly clickbait. Zebra mussels are unfortunately here to stay in the US.
The last moss ball I bought was a giant moss ball from petsmart almost a year ago & the oldest ones I have are tiny & I've had them for 2 years. So if they'd had anything, it would have hatched out by now. Also I've used medicines in the tanks that would not have been safe for invertebrates on most of the moss balls before I got my snails. The ones I order come from hobbyists & are shipped with no water. I have to rinse & soak them for like 8 weeks before I put them in my tanks. My bettas love playing with them & my snails love snacking on the food & stuff they trap.
I know this is about the Moss Balls, I'm lucky, bought mine a long time ago. What I'd like to know is, what is in his tank that looks like trees? The setup is spectacular!
Hey I can confirm as a fellow Floridian, I got infected moss balls too. I bought the mini moss balls pack from Petsmart and all three were infected, bought them mid February this year
Click bait. Zebra mussels are just about everywhere in the US since the 1950s and 1960s. lol. Contact your local fish biologist if you have concerns for your local waterways. Game wardens, DNR officials, park rangers, etc... tend to be kinda dumb about things.
I bought a moss ball from petco a couple year's ago. Haven't noticed any muscles. Sucks though because I was going to buy a new one because one of my fish tore up the old one.
I bought mine maybe a couple of months ago? It’s been a while just to add a little something to my tank. I started to worry bc it got it a while ago UNTIL you described the ones you buy in the cups similar to the beta cups and i immediately took them out. Like you said you honestly can’t know until they get into the older stages but i hope i’m one of the lucky ones but let’s find out I guess. Thank you!
Zebra mussels have invaded the lakes around my area! The change between what the water used to be like a few decades ago to now is really sad :( They're seriously an awful pest and impossible to get rid of. I'm glad there's real concern for this issue! In Canada moss balls are already fairly pricey so I imagine I won't be getting my hands on some for a looong while now.
I just set up a 10 gallon betta tank last week. Thank God I didn't get any balls. I'm in Canada though sooo I'm not sure if it a problem. I don't remember seeing moss balls around the betta area.
Moss balls from Japan or that region of the world seems to be relatively safe for purchase, but those items will definitely be more expensive. I do not trust having mussels or snails stored in the same containment areas, because contamination not just my the specific species is possible, but that parasitic bacteria, viruses, worms, etc. are prevalent in such environments of mixed species aquarium holding tanks.
Good to know! I don't have an active tank right now, I let it go once my inhabitants passed on... so I just have 2 very old sad dried up moss balls. I've been wondering if they're totally dead.
The thing about that last part that got me was that i didn’t buy moss balls lately but I did buy plants where they had moss balls with those plants and now I’m woorying
Zebra mussels take a year to reach adult hood. I have no idea how I would clean my tank and cycle it again for my fish. I have one ball I got in January. Thats about 3 months ago and I am not sure if thats still to soon?
Could they effect our fish? I bought one of those moss balls from petco like 3 months ago when i got my betta and ghost shrimp and my betta and shimp have died and i cannot figure out why. I was researching so much and could not think of anything. My tank is cycled, i do water changes every week and my water tests have always been great. Everything in my tank has died accept for my two nerite snails, could this be why? I’m so sad about it!
I bought 4 a few weeks ago from pet smart this all came out and cleaned them cause they had brown stuff in my kitchen sink twice. They are in small glass bowls for decoration I've been doing weekly water changes but the water has been thrown out in the soil at work.
I bought 2 moss balls at the same time from Petco and put them into 2 separate tanks. The 5 gallon tank was overrun with zebra mussels and the 20 gallon tank was completely free of them. I vacuumed the 5 gallon tank several times and it looks like I have taken care of the infestation. I don't intend for this to be a recommendation for your fish tank, just a recounting of my experience with them. Also I live 15 minutes from lake Erie and completely understand zebra mussel infestation, these things are a plague. That being said I don't completely understand why 2 balls bought from the same store had completely different results.
Learn more about the problem: www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/zebra-mussel-disposal.html
i actually bought this brand a few months ago.......... well...
I would love to have one with mussels on it for my figure 8 puffers!!!
A trick : you can watch series at Flixzone. Been using it for watching lots of of movies recently.
@Yahir Davion yea, been watching on Flixzone} for months myself :D
@Yahir Davion Yup, I've been using flixzone} for since november myself =)
Bought a moss ball from a MN petco around 6 months ago, when I got home I noticed it had a zebra mussel on it. I know how invasive they are so I destroyed the mussel and did a thorough inspection of the ball before I added it to my tank. I returned to petco the following day and told the store clerk about the mussel and they literally said, "Oh, bonus!" This problem has been going on for a while and I am glad it is being addressed
What do they mean by “oh bonus”
@@sxcgremlinkyo119 free snail/mussel without extra payment. That's implements that you should be happy which you are clearly not with a zebra mussel.
oH bOnUs
Alot of people are unaware of what these can do. When i was in Michigan everyone new about them. Were I moved to now I wouldn't blame Joe Bob the 18yo at petco for not understanding the issue with it until its explained to them.
That's like going to a furniture store saying their couch gave you roaches and them saying "oh, bonus!"
I bet the hardcore hobbyists are taking this mossball pandemic more seriously than the covid one
Zebra mussels have been isolated, reproduced, and the offspring from the isolated mussel behaves identical to the parent.
Can’t say that with any virus
@@justinmo86 99% recovery rate...
@@royr2854 1. Not relevant to what was said
2. Closer to 97% (yes, it makes a difference)
3. Rest in Peace to the almost 3million people that make up the fatal 3% & condolences to their families (and lets not even mention the “recovered” ones that will have lifelong health issues and disabilities from their ‘recoveries’
@jose you’re right, but for the hobby they’re even more protective of their fooshies than themselves. So they would still take the mussle invasion more seriously lol
@@moonorchid9242 lifelong health issues? Don't think so...
@@jeffreyklima7612 yeah... a virus that attacks the respiratory and cardiovascular systems... nothing could possible go wrong, right? 🙄
Wow...well that explains why I couldn’t find any moss balls last week when I was searching to buy some for my tank
Same!
Same!
Yep owned one that died in the process of moving and I finally went to go get new ones and a lot more of them too and couldn’t find aby
Any-*
Pro tip go on ebay loads of fish to buy
You can get moss balls too
You can also get crickets or meal worms for your pets
the thing that surprises me the most about this whoel thing is that a petco employee was actually knowledgeable enough to ID a zebra mussle. its super rare to find anyone at a petco or any big box pet store that has a clue about aquatics.
I wouldn't say super rare, but it's definitely pretty uncommon. More uncommon than it should be, at least.
It wasn’t a pet co employee, a lady in one of the Axolotl Facebook groups I’m in found and reported it to pet co then came to the group not knowing what else to do.
The Petco I shop at has a great aquatics staff.
I had a super mega pet store employee ask me about there's "weird", fish thatjept getting imported with their guppies. After I showed him a photo of it describing how cool they were. It was a dragon nymph...... Either way told him to dispose of it as it could be dangerous for both environment and the guppies.
Idk I once had a petco employee that would not sell me a convict chiclid because and I quote “I didn’t look like I could take care of it”
Wow this really could be a main contributing factor as to why zebra mussels are such a widespread problem because there’s no way this hasn’t been happening for a long time.
Some time ago I read that they are suspected to have showed up as a result of large export cargo ships dumping hundreds of gallons of ballast water after delivering their goods.
No, it’s from ships ballast water and small boats not washed properly before going to another body of water.
@@bizzzzzzle yes obviously that’s one of the biggest factors same with waders and boots. I’m just saying that this could definitely be another large contributor
Imagine being the law enforcement officer in charge of the infamous "Moss balls" case. He'll be famous at the station
Ball inspector at your service
I was actually at the pet store the other day and asked about moss balls, as I was getting the supplies to start a new tank (first one with live plants instead of plastic)
And they told me about this. I was so disappointed at first because of not being able to get moss balls.
Then I was panicking because they said it was zebra muscles.
I hope a lot of people see this video, especially those who need to.
THATS WHY
I was so confused why they were recalled at our petsmart last month and no other coworkers new why. But zebra mussels make sense
About a month ago, I was in the South Portland, Maine PetCo to get some supplies, and I noticed all their live plant tanks were roped off and had "not for sale - quarantine" signs on them, and all their shelves of moss ball cups and plants in plastic sleeves were wrapped up and also had signs.
I asked the guy who works there what was going on, and he said, state officials had come in and said all the plants had to be inspected because of suspected invasive snail infestation. He didn't know much about it other than every tank with live plants had to be put under quarantine until those tanks had been inspected and confirmed free of the snails.
He didn't say what type of snails it was that they were looking for, but I wonder if it was these zebra mussels? Seems like it must be since it just happened same time as all this.
Same here about 10 days ago.
Only in America lol. America don't even have black currant fruit missing out on things like Ribena drink, because it kills your pine trees. We just chose black currant and chopped down our pine trees lol
@@mr-mrsknow-it-all2998 it’s better to miss out on something than to let a possible invasive species wreak havoc on the ecosystem and possibly destroy crops and therefore some impacts on the economy and availability of food for certain people.
@@mr-mrsknow-it-all2998 black current was banned in 1911 the logging industry (more profitable than black currents) was booming between 1840 and 1940. Not arguing just informing if you didn’t know
@@christophergomez872 I'm not arguing either. Just a funny thing to point out, that's all lol. They made the wrong choice though, because the logging industry isn't booming now.
I went to the fish store yesterday and their moss tank had "Not for sale by order of the U.S. Dept of Agriculture" scrawled across it. They had actually found a zebra mussel in a moss ball.
I was gifted some moss balls about 8 months ago and I noticed a mussel on one of them while I was quarantining them. I put them out in the sun to dry them out. Looks like this has been going on for quite a while.
I've have bought several dozen from several places over the last couple of years. If they had zebra mussels on them I would have tanks full of them. Probably a new issue from an isolated source, I hope.
It's only been going for 3-4 months.
Only this is a new problem. I went to a fish store in Phoenix yesterday and their moss tank was closed because they had found a zebra mussel on one of their moss balls.
Not isolated. They've found them in 43 states last I checked.
@@reverendfatheruncleruckus Isolated as in the region the moss is being harvested from.. if regions 1-7 all export moss balls but let's say region 4 is the only one withe the zebras it would be Isolated to that region and other regions moss balls may be allowed back in if confirmed to be zebra free
@@StinkiSlinki I got you. Export region's.🙃 I was thinking import isolated to a few states, not export isolated to a small region.😑
I read that the employee had reported it several months ago. It took that long for it to be looked into and they continued selling until then.
When he said that the zebra mussels have a microscopic larval stage I instantly thought "moss ball covid"
Lol
Honestly that's horrifying
Behind you is a work of art. That is my dream tank
im a man of nano tanks imo
its nice to see someone in the aquatics hobby make a video on this and raise awareness-- I'm not involved in the hobby really, I just watch occasional videos, but I am involved in naturalist communities and I did see this whole thing come up. Word about invasive pests and this kind of stuff tends to go under the radar, or it's just never really properly explained; so a super solid, informative straightforward video like this really does make a difference 👌 love to c it
In Australia moss balls have been banned for a long time because of biosecurity risk, the usual treatments to sterilize them through legal importation kills the moss balls- It's just not possible to import them without getting rid of risk. I'm glad to know that it wasn't just needless paranoia. It's still relatively easy to illegally import them here though, often people buy them without realizing it was illegal- with some cases of authorities chasing up these folks and the sellers, nuking tanks with algaecides etc. I think people in the US have been very lucky to be able to have such loose laws with many exotic species, but it comes with a huge environmental cost. There are many species that I can never keep in Australia, but that's fine- you can't have everything you want in life.
There is a massive problem with them in the reservoirs in Spain. My husband stepped on some and they broke into a million pieces in his foot. I bet that they could really f up filters etc. this is so scary! I’m side eyeing my moss balls now.
I work at a pet store, and we had to quarantine all moss balls. The store keeps them in little cups, not tanks. Then fish and game officials came to take them. They told us to keep the water they were in, pour bleach into it, and let sit for 24 hrs. The official said don't pour the water down the drain once it's set, pour it outside.
I work at a pet store that keeps their moss balls in their display tanks. We just threw them out “in a locked dumpster”
Don't pour it outside unless its been already bleached.
Moss balls are the new COVID 2021 for the hobby 😂😢
Ugh. Lose
Mossvid😒😂
Aww, and they are so cute.
Now it's time to capitalize on selling uninfected moss balls for premium price and people will pay it. Moss balls is the new aquarium gold.
Someone said all they did was pick out the zebra mussels and used the moss balls
Invasive species are the worst thing, weird that moss balls come from Ukraine
My moss balls a Soviet!
@randomdoodification in russia moss ball owns you
Probably not anymore... who has time for moss balls when your being shelled and invaded. Who knew that those moss balls where actually Russian🤔 well according to Russia anyway.
For anyone who actually finds a mussel in their tanks: I live very close to the great lakes so in my area this is 100% something the wildlife section of the government will help me with (anyone in Ontario can do this, but I don't remember who you call)
I'm sure lots of areas/countries will also have a similar program so it's worth asking about
Okay, so if you find a mussel in your tank, get all your fish out of there into another tank and get everything into buckets and containers that won't leak. When I say everything, I mean, decorations, plants, substrate, all the water, everything.
Somebody from the government might be able to actually come and pick up your infected stuff, then you just clean your tank really well and start over.
Zebra mussels have been hurting the fish population in the great lakes so I don't trust them to be very healthy tank makes for fishies, any of y'all who use live plants , go out and get a second tank for emergencies if you don't have one, if you do have one u might as well make sure it's cycled.
As for dumping the water into grass, just be careful because there's still a risk of zebra mussels getting into ground water, septic, and storm drainage systems depending on where you pour it out & how much water you are dumping.
It's 4 AM and this is where I found myself for the final video of the night before bed...I need help...
I wonder how much cross contamination will be/is an issue. If big box stores are keeping moss balls in their tanks, could these mussels get on other plants, fish, shrimp, snails, ect?
I vaguely remember mussel “larvae” having part of their lifecycle in fish gills?
@@____________838 Zebra mussels don't, the ones that do fake a fish on their foot for fish too eat.
@Dani Masterson YMMV.
Interesting that some suppliers say they keep the moss balls at lower temps for long periods... the Great Lakes here in Canada/US mostly freeze on top and the zebra mussels survive under the water in those very cold temps that the moss would likely not survive in for longer time frames. Boil, Freeze solid, Dehydrate in the sun, all three 😆.
Great lakes have thermal reservoirs under the ice
I don't know if I'm sadder about saying goodbye to my little moss or because I may have unknowingly put an invasive species into the waterways. :(
I'm not throwing away my moss balls, I'll see if any mussels grow. And only do water changes with the moss balls in a cup
@Dani Masterson probably to save the fish? Placing them in cup doesn't put th fish at risk if nitrate spikes from no water changes.
I put worse things down the drain every day. You should have seen what I flushed after this morning’s coffee. This doesn’t follow common sense-from your yard, water is much more likely to go into a storm drain or pond. If your sewer system is draining into a nearby pond, you have bigger issues than zebra mussels.
The Petco employee reported to "Parks and Wildlife" 🤣 those mussels are hitching rides on peoples boats from lake to lake spreading all over..... they are here in Colorado
They're here in Canada too! Been here since the 1980s... Who knew that would be an invasive species...
I was thinking maybe Fish and Wildlife. Either way, there’s at least one local lake with them by me
My fish shop didnt even know about this issue now I made them check their plants lol
7:35 In this instance if there are zebra mussels or the water is contaminated the aquarium water needs to be sterilized as pouring the water in the yard could easily find the larvae getting to natural water sources from animals, insects, and birds. Boil it, bleach it, or freeze it, alongside cleaning the tank.
Very interesting and it’s a large issue. I honestly can’t see how to deal with it without nuking everything and starting from scratch
You're supposed to nuke everything, except your glass and fish if you bought a mossball recently
It shocks me that the officer you spoke with knew nothing about this until now. It was 20-30 years ago that New York had a HUGE problem with zebra muscles. I’m kinda shocked, to be honest. I understand the gap in time, but, wow.
Because that came from boats, and had nothing to do with aquarium supplies. They believe zebra muscles first arrived in the north east on cargo ships when they emptied their ballast tanks. From there they likely hitched a ride on sport boats to lakes and rivers.
Someone said in the comments that all they did was pick out the zebra mussels and still used the moss balls maybe they should share this info
It took me like 3 minutes to figure out what that ring was on the side of your fish tank
If you bought moss balls recently, just destroy them straight up. Not worth it.
u gotta burn them, thoroughly
You gotta burn the whole tank, everything but the fish themselves and the glass. You're not even supossed to keep your filter.
Yeah not gonna do that
@@dehydratedculture9126 Cool story.
@@dehydratedculture9126 also, people like you is why it got banned. Not controlled. Plus, if you have them. They'll track it back to you. You'll pay the huge like $10,000 minimum fine, not me tho. 😂 i got all my mossball a year ago. No hitchikers.
If there on moss balls how can we tell other plants haven't been contaminated? Lol as I'm typing this watching you just mentioned that too . I have been wondering this. Tissue culture seems to me to be the safest way now.
Have moss balls for years in my tank now (actually never brought them, I guess the fragments come from the plants I brought from petco when I start the hobby). Never saw mussels in my tanks and haven't get any new plants for two years. I guess I'm safe on this one.
I just bought some moss balls this week and I just put them in my tank today. Thank you for the video! Supper helpful
I'm quarantining all new plants I buy in a separate tank for a long time just in case the Zebra muscle hitched a ride.
Thx a lot Aquapro, I just recently started the hobby, and equally just recently got 3 moss balls, I'm in the UK and after a bit of research, we have had this little invaders here for over 200 years. What I decided: I have a small tank and an extremely large collection of plants (can you see where I'm heading?), the reason for getting moss balls and a tank was to explore water plants, or increase the variety of plants I keep (and of course may as well put some fish in it lol) as a recycler I collect the water from my changes and then use it to water my plants. Now that I'm aware of this issue I will not ever discard any excess water (this could happen in the winter) in the drains, I am fortunate to have a garden.
I'd like this to be a suggestion to other hobbyists, like who live in a flat... just keep some plants to drink up that water which will be full of nutrients, and the little critters will perish in the soil...
Many thanks for posting this video 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Here in Michigan, it wasnt just the moss balls. They also looked for other invasive species as well (i.e. Dojos or weather loaches).
Please remember folks- because there are so many “common names” doesnt mean that what you purchase is NOT on the prohibited list!
Also, please please please stop releasing unwanted fish and creatures out in to the native lakes!!
I didn't even know weather loaches were invasive 😮
@@00believe000 there is now a population of them in the wilds in the southwest part of the state now. People really do just dump unwanted aquarium life in to the waters.
Last year, we pulled a large red devil out of an inland lake.
There are also plants and the prohibited list as well.
Not only are these situations bad for our native species, it is very bad for our hobby.
In an apartment, I'd drain the tank into the tub and toss bleach in there, just like the tank. I almost bought my roommate moss balls for his tank last month. So glad I didn't
Me: i have no idea what a moss ball is or what its for
Also me: watching this video
That explains the massive tank clear out at my local shop. Crazy! Thanks for the update
I no longer have a fish tank but I enjoyed watching the little fish swimming behind you.
Awe man, I was looking at getting some this summer. I’m glad that something like this has been found though!
Always wondered if you could feed zebra muscles to pea puffers
was thinking the same but for my fang's puffer
@@gottobekidingme i wonder if anyone keeps a culture of them for puffers in general, I'm near the great lakes just kinda worried about grabbing some😅lol
What do zebra mussels harm in the aquarium
@@deb5110 only things I'd be worried about are parasites, figure if they attach to the sponge filter or silicon in the corners the puffers would find them. They'd probably do a number on any onther kind of filter with moving parts though.
I'm so thankful for your video. UA-cam recommended your video. We got our moss balls in January. We still had one We kept in the original container. We had bought 3 mini ones in one container from Pet Smart. Wouldn't you know We have zebra mollusks in it. I used the link you provided to report what we have. I now how 2 tanks that have to be cleaned properly and destroy the infected moss balls. Thank you so so much for this information and the links.
I’ve been wondering about the possible migration to other plans as well. Many places just have their moss balls in a tank with other plants and fish.
Now i'm just thinking about the moss balls in the lifebearer and shrimp tank where it can hitchhike everywhere especially if the owner is breeding for provit and sold it to various places :/
Someone said all they did was pick out the zebra mussels and used the moss balls
Amazing how you make 13min videos go by so quick. Very interesting
How about treating moss balls with copper before putting them in aquarium? Copper kills most freshwater invertebrates, without harming the moss. One could then wash the mossball off after it was treated if you put it into a freshwater aquarium with invertebrates.
I've been studying up about getting my first tank and getting a betta for months.. I finally started purchasing all the plants (including moss balls) about 1.5/2 months ago and finally purchased my fish 2 weeks ago... only to find out about the zebra mussels 3 days later... it was a wild ride 😂🥲
I’ve had the same moss ball for ages before this happened, so I think mine is good, my betta would revolt if I took it because he sleeps on it and pushes it about in the tank.
I just started my first planted tank and I had bought multiple moss balls from my local petcos/petsmarts like a couple weeks before all this went down. Sites were recommending destroying moss balls that had been purchased in the last three months. I was sooo sad because I love moss balls. Then I had to clean the tank pretty thoroughly and mess up my scape and my cycled water. I’m fairly certain that I didn’t have zebra mussels because by the time I destroyed my moss (boiled them to death lol) it had been over a month with no sign of them. Still didn’t want to risk that they might still be in the invisible larval stage though. It’s ok, as a newbie maybe I overreacted but its worth the peace of mind. I really hope they get everything situated and safe, mussel-free moss balls can get in stores again relatively soon. I think they’re so cute and my Betta and shrimp loved them. Thanks for the video!
the petsmart I work at was visited by an officer from our state’s department of conservation a few weeks back who asked about the moss balls! we were already on top of it and quarantined them that morning lol
Canyon lake community water system in Texas found the parts of pipes were incrusted with these zebra mussels. Couldn’t drink the water for a bit till pipes were replaced .
I was so confused when I didnt find any mossballs cause I was looking for plants to put in my 5 gal I am setting up for a betta. Someone told me they heard it was some kind of bacterial infection from months ago but it surprised me to find out that it was an invasive species pulling all of them off the shelves. It's been like a year and they're still banned (?) and I probably won't be getting any mossballs any time soon.
super nice tank behind you there cheers, i am looking at the background tank all the time ;D
I bought some betta buddy moss balls from petco 3 weeks ago didn't see anything at first really at all for 3weeks. Thought i was safe.
But yesterday i saw a weird egg like thing on them took them out put in a bowl & tore open they where full of these weird egg like things (100%not sand) so i called & they said yes they r infected & boil them then put in plastic bag seal & toss so i did. After that i had to drain & redo my tank many hrs later i was done & dumped the water on my lawn (as i was told).
Now i think is a better safe than sorry issue it was scary & stressful. So if u bought them tear them & look & keep your eyes open. Unless its petco just boil & toss those.
Always dropping knowledge!! Love it
And on top of all that, I just found Moss muscles on my zebra balls...
Bahaha 🤣
ZEBRA BALLS PLEASE HAHA
It wasn’t a pet co employee, a lady in one of the Axolotl Facebook groups I’m in found and reported it to pet co then came to the group not knowing what else to do.
In america, you own moss ball,
IN SOVIET RUSSIA MOSSBALL OWN YOU
Hardly any channels are talking about this, so kudos! Glad you put your water change into the yard, but sadly by now the larvae are spread far and wide since many people don't. And as you say there's no way to sterilize everything. Invasives are a big problem for the hobby, and you will see more regulation coming along the way things are going. My pet peeve is White Cloud Minnow, it's on everyone's Top 10 List, but banned in many jurisdictions in Canada and US, and that's never mentioned in the reviews. Newbies aren't going to care about prohibitions they'll just get what's suggested.
Reading and hearing about this makes me VERY happy that I dispose of tank water in my garden, where there is zero risk of it entering water sources of any kind, rather than down the sink.
As a resident of the Great Lakes area, I can confirm that Zebra Mussels are a massive problem. They reproduce absurdly fast and can clog up pretty much any water system. They also leave really nasty, sharp little shells all over the beach both in and above the water. The only upside is that the beautiful Long-Tailed ducks who once only passed through have now taken up year round residence on the lake and have turned the pests into a food source. They have been a tax on the native shellfish species who, unlike the Zebra Mussels, struggled in the long polluted waters of lakes like Ontario and Erie. Although we've done a lot to clean up the lakes, Zebra Mussels and Gobis are both still huge issues.
I live in the Great Lakes area, where Zebra Mussels are a big deal. The local schools in my area, or at least mine, have educated us on the problems they cause as far back as middle school.
Anyways, I'm an animal care technician and the other week, a local ranger came in to check our plants for moss balls. Luckily, our manager seems to already have been aware of the situation, because in our most recent shipment she stored all the moss balls in the freezer, and we haven't sold them since.
it will be another blip on the radar. We went through a similar issue with live plants and apple snail eggs back in the late 90's. (I'm not surprised the issue is related to Petco, they get all of their "pre-packaged" stuff from a single supplier and he gets bettas from what are barely better than sweat shops in Sri Lanka.
@Dani Masterson a lot of plants grown in Florida used to be collected and grown in outdoor ponds. Because most aquatic plants grow faster in the emerged (above water) form, they were generally grown in low water and the tops just cut off. There would sometimes be snail egg clusters on the stems of Bacopa and Wisteria.
I'm in New Hampshire and I bought some Shrimp Buddies from Petco (the ones that come in a bag). I unfortunately found some in mine. Luckily it's a small tank.
I’ve lived in the Great Lakes region my whole life...my dad always complained about zebra muscles growing up. They cover the bottoms of boats, the harbors, even on the propellers...oddly enough I was JUST looking at moss balls last night at Petco glad I didn’t buy some
Someone said all they did was pick out the zebra mussels and used the moss balls
Zebra mussels are just about everywhere in the US since the 1950s and 1960s. This is just clickbait. DNR, park rangers, and wildlife officials tend to be out of the loop about everything and they mainly focus on hunters and fishermen. Go speak to a local fish biologist if you have any serious concerns, most are pretty cool to chat with.
This is mostly clickbait. Zebra mussels are unfortunately here to stay in the US.
Thank you for the information ! Did think about getting one before i saw your video :O
Just when I finally got into having live plants?! 🤷♀️ 🤦♀️ (Btw, I was actually wondering why they suddenly vanished from the stores recently.)
The last moss ball I bought was a giant moss ball from petsmart almost a year ago & the oldest ones I have are tiny & I've had them for 2 years. So if they'd had anything, it would have hatched out by now. Also I've used medicines in the tanks that would not have been safe for invertebrates on most of the moss balls before I got my snails. The ones I order come from hobbyists & are shipped with no water. I have to rinse & soak them for like 8 weeks before I put them in my tanks. My bettas love playing with them & my snails love snacking on the food & stuff they trap.
I know this is about the Moss Balls, I'm lucky, bought mine a long time ago. What I'd like to know is, what is in his tank that looks like trees? The setup is spectacular!
Hey I can confirm as a fellow Floridian, I got infected moss balls too. I bought the mini moss balls pack from Petsmart and all three were infected, bought them mid February this year
I’m originally from Green Bay wi, and zebra mussels are so bad they literally litter an entire beach (a bay) off of Lake Michigan
I also live in Michigan and it's disappointing that they are taking over the lakes
Thank you for this informative video. I was planning on getting some moss balls from petco soon but I'll hold off on this idea.
Click bait. Zebra mussels are just about everywhere in the US since the 1950s and 1960s. lol. Contact your local fish biologist if you have concerns for your local waterways. Game wardens, DNR officials, park rangers, etc... tend to be kinda dumb about things.
I bought a moss ball from petco a couple year's ago. Haven't noticed any muscles. Sucks though because I was going to buy a new one because one of my fish tore up the old one.
I bought some tiny moss balls a couple of months ago. I figure that I'll simply quarantine that tank, and use the dirty water on my large flower pots.
Thanks for this. Can't buy fish in Canada until April due to zebra mussels and didnt know why.
I bought mine maybe a couple of months ago? It’s been a while just to add a little something to my tank. I started to worry bc it got it a while ago UNTIL you described the ones you buy in the cups similar to the beta cups and i immediately took them out. Like you said you honestly can’t know until they get into the older stages but i hope i’m one of the lucky ones but let’s find out I guess. Thank you!
I bought mine from petco, like two months ago, what would the problem be with them in the tank if their isn't any zebra mussels?
Zebra mussels have invaded the lakes around my area! The change between what the water used to be like a few decades ago to now is really sad :( They're seriously an awful pest and impossible to get rid of. I'm glad there's real concern for this issue! In Canada moss balls are already fairly pricey so I imagine I won't be getting my hands on some for a looong while now.
I just set up a 10 gallon betta tank last week. Thank God I didn't get any balls. I'm in Canada though sooo I'm not sure if it a problem. I don't remember seeing moss balls around the betta area.
Moss balls from Japan or that region of the world seems to be relatively safe for purchase, but those items will definitely be more expensive. I do not trust having mussels or snails stored in the same containment areas, because contamination not just my the specific species is possible, but that parasitic bacteria, viruses, worms, etc. are prevalent in such environments of mixed species aquarium holding tanks.
Good to know!
I don't have an active tank right now, I let it go once my inhabitants passed on... so I just have 2 very old sad dried up moss balls. I've been wondering if they're totally dead.
Kitsun , watch the mossball tutorials on UA-cam. Revive moss balls by putting in fridge or freezer overnight
I saw this at a Petco near me too...I didn’t buy it cause you can clearly see the “hitch hiker” but I would never thought they were Zebra mussels.
I have a well, a septic system and drain fields do you think it’s ok to use my python in tanks with moss balls.
I've see a zebra muscle in a friend's tank in a moss ball from petco. Didn't know what it was till I recognized it in the video
I’ve got about 8 moss balls that I’ve had some for at least two years. It’s funny to think that moss balls could be more valuable than gold.
Some of ours from petco had small red worms as well as the zebra muscles
Pet Smart I went to in Ontario, Canada also stopped the sale of fish and water plants this past week because of an outbreak
The thing about that last part that got me was that i didn’t buy moss balls lately but I did buy plants where they had moss balls with those plants and now I’m woorying
Zebra mussels take a year to reach adult hood. I have no idea how I would clean my tank and cycle it again for my fish. I have one ball I got in January. Thats about 3 months ago and I am not sure if thats still to soon?
Could they effect our fish? I bought one of those moss balls from petco like 3 months ago when i got my betta and ghost shrimp and my betta and shimp have died and i cannot figure out why. I was researching so much and could not think of anything. My tank is cycled, i do water changes every week and my water tests have always been great. Everything in my tank has died accept for my two nerite snails, could this be why? I’m so sad about it!
I have a moss ball just sitting in a tank on my shelf, i have been taking care of it and it's just vibing, should i get rid of it?
I bought 4 a few weeks ago from pet smart this all came out and cleaned them cause they had brown stuff in my kitchen sink twice. They are in small glass bowls for decoration I've been doing weekly water changes but the water has been thrown out in the soil at work.
I bought 2 moss balls at the same time from Petco and put them into 2 separate tanks. The 5 gallon tank was overrun with zebra mussels and the 20 gallon tank was completely free of them. I vacuumed the 5 gallon tank several times and it looks like I have taken care of the infestation. I don't intend for this to be a recommendation for your fish tank, just a recounting of my experience with them.
Also I live 15 minutes from lake Erie and completely understand zebra mussel infestation, these things are a plague. That being said I don't completely understand why 2 balls bought from the same store had completely different results.
How long would it take for zebra mussels to get to the point where you can see them?
I just heard of this recently on a Facebook group tbh. sucks since I wanted to get moss balls soon :(
I’m pretty sure you can unless your going to put them in water sources!
@@speckle1705 Sorry if i'm being annoying- but i just wanted to ask, by that do you mean like the sink or a fish tank or stuff like that?
Hello, would it not be possible to treat the whole tank with a copper based medication ?