NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency warned on Tuesday that invasive zebra mussels could be hiding in so-called moss balls sold for aquariums.
Zebra mussels are one of the most destructive invasive species in North America, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
In order to ensure that they do not reach any local water bodies, the wildlife agencies are asking aquarium owners who have “moss balls,” really a species of green algae, to destroy them and disinfect their tanks.
Full instructions can be found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/zebra-mussel-disposal.html.
Cole Harty, TWRA Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator, said in a news release that aquarium water should never be dumped into drains that can lead to local waters.
“This situation shows how easily an invasive species could be introduced by someone improperly disposing of their aquarium contents,” he said.
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