A miniature zebra mussel clinging to a marimo moss ball might look harmless to an unsuspecting customer, but invasive species specialists in Seattle were immediately on high alert after one was reported by an aquarium company.
What happened?
Earlier in August, a wholesale aquarium supply company in Renton, Washington, called the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife with concerning news, Fox 13 Seattle reported.
The news? Zebra mussels had been found in a shipment of marimo moss balls.
In a span of minutes, an Aquatic Invasive Species team from WDFW arrived at the aquarium supplier's facility to collect the shipment of moss balls. They confirmed the identity of the mussels as zebra mussels and immediately issued a warning to pet stores in Washington and Idaho to be on high alert for the invasive species.
"This incident serves as an important reminder to remain vigilant and take action to ensure your aquariums and waterways stay zebra mussel free," the team said in their press release.
Why are zebra mussels so harmful?
Zebra mussels are invasive mollusks in North America, where they present a grave threat because of their extremely high reproductive rates. According to Fox 13, a single female zebra mussel can release up to one million eggs a year. This can quickly rack up maintenance bills in the millions of dollars for taxpayers, as the efforts to de-clog pipes and other plumbing systems are laborious and cost-intensive.
Overall, zebra mussels "threaten native fish and wildlife the moment they are introduced to a new body of water," Fox 13 stated.
The threat is so severe that WDFW estimated that the cost of managing an invasive zebra mussel population in Washington would be upward of $100 million each year, simply "to keep the state's power and water facilities operational." Those costs don't even factor in the damage to native species, which could ripple up the food chain and disrupt commercial fishing and tourism.
Unfortunately, this isn't the only example of a would-be pet — whether adopted from a pet store or bought in the illegal wildlife trade — causing dangers to a community by threatening the natural ecosystem's balance.
What's being done about this?
WDFW is urging both pet stores and marimo moss ball owners to investigate their aquariums as part of staying vigilant.
"We all have a role to play in preventing and stopping invasive species, and the most basic action is to be aware and report anything that could be a problem and looks out of place," said Justin Bush with WDFW. "If you see something, say something, because you could find the first hitchhiker and prevent millions, if not billions, of impacts to the economy and environment."
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