I'm DESTROYING my MARIMO BALLS. Here's why...

Zebra Mussels have infested Marimo Balls. If we don't do something quickly, they'll likely destroy ecosystems across North America.
If you find Zebra Mussels in a Marimo Ball, please report it here:
nas.er.usgs.gov/SightingRepor...
Unfortunately, we are facing a crisis with the discovery of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in pet shop marimo moss balls (Aegagropila linnaei). These small "moss" balls are actually a type of algae native to japan and eastern Europe. They are often used in home aquariums, planted tanks, and aquascapes, but recently they have been found harboring the tiny invasive mollusks that already destroyed many of our aquatic habitats in the midwest. Unfortunately, they are able to survive being flushed down the drain and can even thrive in our plumbing. If the aquarium hobby doesn't take immediate action, we could be responsible for destroying the fragile balance of our local waterways.
In this video, I interview biologist Cara Wade and ecologist Casey Williams. Please do your part to keep our hobby from wrecking the fragile ecosystems of the United States and Canada.

[@TankTested]

Please share this video with anyone in the hobby. It will take all of us to avert this crisis!

[@Villas-rx1my]

could they transfer from any other aquatic plant as well or just marimo balls because i was planing on getting live plants for my aquarium

[@fai888]

I have had my marino moss balls for at least 10 years now. I understand as a hobbyist when I am doing water changes/trimming plants to NEVER pour it down the drain as the off cuts from my plants can become an evasive species (especially duckweed) so I always pour the water into my garden and plants

[@nothnbuttherent]

Amen! I had to get on my old neighbor about this. He was pouring his tank water down the drain with duckweed and moss balls in his tank. Being a aquarium hobbyist comes with responsibilities to care for the eco system around you.

[@trishkcmo3683]

They are saying if purchased in last four months. Mine are over two years old. No way I am destroying them.

[@dallasaquascapingguy]

Im sorry if I sound rude, but if you have had your moss balls in a container for awhile and have not seen any problems....why would you destroy them? It sounds a bit dramatic to make a point. I understand the problem, so maybe dont buy them anymore (or at least till they figure out a way to prevent the problem in the future) but why kill something for no reason that you have had in a separate container and has posed no threat to anything else? Im sure there is someone out there who would have gladly taken them off your hands and cared for them in a safe way. Such a waste. I have had my Marimo Moss Ball "Mossy Moto" for a year now in a separate jar and have not seen anything come out of it. I always pour all of my tank water on my house and patio plants which love it! I will not be killing it. I do like the fact you shared the information because it is good to keep everyone aware and up to date. I just wish it would have been more of just a informational video and more about how to determine if you have them and what to do then or at least how to act responsibly going forward not a call for mass killing.

[@supergingerr]

From what I’ve seen it’s only if you’ve bought one after Feb 1st 2021. If you’ve had your for year(s) it’s probably fine to keep. I think the reason people are jumping straight to destroying them is because this isn’t a new problem, just the mode of transportation is new. Zebra mussels have been a problem for a while and spread fast in large numbers, so it’s mainly about prevention. Also Fish and Wildlife have put out detailed instructions on how to quarantine your moss balls if you don’t want it destroy them, along with info on how to clean a tank that has them inside.

[@NeonKue]

Zebra Mussel larvae are microscopic and can live in the filaments of Marimo. If you purchased one since the beginning of 2021, it could possibly be from the infected batch seeing as all the Marimo on the market are from one supplier in Ukraine. Fish and Wildlife want to eradicate the Zebra Mussel so they are taking drastic measures. If you’ve had Marimo before this year, you should be okay. I’ve been collecting them in my 20gallon tank for years now but who knows what could be living inside it.

[@gigischuster3078]

Well said this is extremist and cruelty and there is nothing wrong with his Moss Balls it's a fear mongering catfish click bate and he needs to be reported and those poor moss balls did not deserve that he kills his Moss Balls and that's awful and he should be removed for spreading this crazy scare mongering and animal cruelty of Living Moss Balls.

[@dallasaquascapingguy]

@@gigischuster3078 thank you, I was wondering if I was crazy

[@jokervii3805]

because it's dangerous... i think it's quite obvious why.

[@Charlie-zt8ei]

If your aquarium is in need of tear down do to infestation, DO NOT use a python draining tool. I could be wrong, but I would think draining into some grass or flower bed would be a better alternative than flushing the tank water down a drain.

[@Cillana]

Yes! I've done this. Run the Python hose out a window then hook up other side of the siphon apparatus to a garden hose outside.

[@susanmetz9892]

I’ve always run my python hose out into my yard when doing a water change. I’ve just never wanted filthy fish poo water to touch my bathtub or sink.

[@Paula-sw2tt]

I have had my three moss balls for over three years. I feel nothing inside of them and I imagine zebra muscles would be noticable by now. I keep them in a jar by themselves. I live in the PNW. I will not be buying any more. I am not going to destroy them.

[@A-ID-A-M]

I think its fine if youve had it for such a long time. My guess is a recent batch got contaminated.

[@TankTested]

It is unlikely a “legacy” mossball of that age is actively infected. The issue is that we don’t know how long zebra mussels can survive in a home aquarium, specifically how long they can last with limited food resources. In your case, I believe you are probably making the correct decision.

[@Paula-sw2tt]

@@TankTested I doubt there is much of a food source. I do change the water occasionally.

[@TankTested]

They are filter feeders and it’s unlikely they could survive in a jar long/term. I agree that you’re probably ok.

[@voluntaryismistheanswer]

Yeah that's lame, everyone that's a boater who travels knows about zebra mussel control, people have no ability left for critical thought.

[@NeonKue]

Natural Marimo from Japan are protected from being taken or sold to the public. The Marimo we all see online and in stores come from one main supplier and local lake in Ukraine where ZM are native. The whole batch from the beginning of 2021 are possibly infected but if you purchased before this year, you should be okay. This ZM crisis could be the thing that makes Marimo truly extinct.

[@phillip1beer]

I think if the Zebra muscles came on the hulls of ships then perhaps we should get rid of all ships as well.

[@mrfish.-]

I was about to order some moss balls a couple weeks ago! Thank goodness petco and my aquarium friends emailed me.😓😓😓

[@nothanks5394]

so real question if theyve been in our tank for years with no muscles why do need to worry? are these muscle larva not being killed off in the water treatment plants? is the larva in our tap water?

[@Cillana]

Thanks for covering this!

[@jesbenji9742]

Living in Australia, it's almost impossible for an individual in import any plant from overseas. Our bio laws are tough and we respect them, but the freedom you have importing in USA makes us envious. Any regulations the government may impose from this could also affect the plant trade/community, not just the aquarium hobby. It would be a shame to see that happen. I hope the community and government gets on top of this issue so you don't become as restricted as us.

[@TankTested]

Agreed. I wish our hobby was showing that we can be trusted, as of yet that hasn’t happened though!

[@NeonKue]

It seems nature had a history of importing Marimo to your beaches by sea in Sydney before though haha

[@jhansen6180]

Message me and I’ll tell you how to get some.

[@AussieAquatic]

It highlights the sensible need for plant growers to "sterilize" plants prior to shipping. No snails, no Planaria, no leeches, no hydra, no mussels.

[@Gabesafish]

That would most likely eliminate a significant portion of hobby traded plants that don’t do well with the common “dip” methods of pest control.

[@cedricbp9205]

That is a very good point, I am bulk supplier of Marimo for retail, have been doing this forever and with over 100k marimo sold I didn't get a single mussel case associated with my business, I can keep selling marimos all over and the government won't bother me I even had a box go through customs just this week, all I do is soak marimo in bleach solution for 15 minutes all the mussels die you litteraly see them falling off so then none of my customers ever got the mussels sometimes very rarely 1 customer with 200x order will find 1 mussel and it's probably not even alive and even if it was alive you need male and female mature adult to reproduce and the bleach definetly killed all larvaes and eggs if they had even survived transport in the first place.

[@meminustherandomgooglenumbers]

What is the solution you soak them in? Bleach/water in certain portions?

[@rockfella27]

Just when I found out moss balls are best plants to get rid of ammonia and nitrates! Good to know this. Won't buy any moss balls.

[@rizler9007]

Great content Sir ! Invasive species in the hobby are too many times ignored despite being very dangerous for our ecosystems

[@Rybe33]

What sucks about this the worst is marimos sourced from petco and petsmart are going to largely go into the hands of people with one (abused/dead) betta or folks who otherwise are very disconnected from the aquarium hobbie and are unlikely to hear the psa Thankfully my balls are all over a year old/seem clean and are not from petco... I'll be really curious to see which distributors are responsible. I hope for everyone's sake they can't survive most aquarium conditions...

[@TankTested]

I agree. That's why I think its important to reach anyone you can with this message. We should all be reaching out to friends or colleagues who aren't plugged into the online hobby but have a fish tank. Thanks!!

[@littlegreenclementine]

I feel like if regulations or anything comes out of this, I hope it would be the corporate petshop retailers (not LFS) who get major fines and the like. They don't have a motive to care about the local environment because as a chain, the people who call the shots are too far removed from the locals or the animals they're trading in. Retail is hell when you're a regular worker who wants to better your workplace or community but management (on corporate's leash) will NOT allow you to make ANY changes to operations on your own -- it's so much worse if you're a well-meaning and hardworking employee or even local manager at petco but corporate is tying your hands, shipping you merch and forcing you to sell it with a smile, even while it's going to ruin your local environment. Against the grimy hands of corporate entities who only see dollar bills at the cost of the local environments they step foot in - I can only see regulation doing anything against that tide. corporate pet chains have consistently proven they don't care about animal welfare, just last month I saw they were still carrying gallon sized betta tanks and bowls, because clearly that makes money AND bonus, fish dying faster means more fish sales. I'm in Central Texas too, and while I love my heavily planted tanks, if me having less access to plants other than expensive sterilized lab-produced buces means the local flora and fauna will be protected from other threats, I'd be okay with that.

[@NeonKue]

All the Marimo sold online and in pet stores come from one main supplier in Ukraine so the whole batch is possibly infected.

[@sarascott9254]

I wish this video would have addressed what it means to take your entire tank apart and sterilize or replace all of the components in your scape, INCLUDING your filter media. It’s not just an aesthetic thing, it means completely reseting your tank’s water cycle which could ultimately kill many of your tank’s inhabitants due to unstable water quality as the cycle re-establishes. I think you did imply this in the video by calling it a “much harder decision” for aquarists with moss balls in their community tanks, but you should really talk about that at length and potentially even provide preventative measures for after you’ve completed the process of sterilization you guys are suggesting here. Not telling your viewership the potential consequences of your recommended actions (even if they SHOULD know what those are on their own) seems just as disingenuous, to me, as a lot of the advice available from notoriously unreliable sources. Experienced hobbyists know that beginner hobbyists fall prey to these sources all the time. When they ultimately lose their tank because of bad advice they got from some chain store, they either wise up and become more critical of sources of knowledge within the hobby, or leave the hobby altogether. This is advice that could potentially cause someone to lose their whole tank. I don’t mean to be overly critical. I just believe channels like yours are good influences on the community as a whole, and continuing to influence a community requires it’s trust.

[@kelleyforeman]

Thanks for making this, Alex. I would like to see other vendors come forward with guidance because I suspect the contamination is not restricted to Petco’s product.

[@TankTested]

Agreed. It’s unlikely that this is a Petco specific problem. Marimo balls are cultivated in Ukraine, where zebra mussels are native, in retrospect this infestation was predictable.

[@kelleyforeman]

@@TankTested do you know if most marimo balls are sourced from there? Are there any US suppliers?

[@UberPancakes0313]

I think you should make a short video/guide on how to properly dispose of marimo moss balls. With both contained marimo moss balls and an actual take filled with them. I'm sure hobbiest would have an easier time with a short guide that would be shareable amongst us.

[@TankTested]

I suggest checking out Rachel O’Leary’s short video on the subject. She posted it yesterday and I think it’s exactly what you’re after.

[@UberPancakes0313]

@@TankTested awesome :) thanks for that

[@stevenburdick805]

Thank you for doing this video. So important. I would enjoy seeing one on the plants we all love and how to properly dispose of them. Great job Alex.

[@charlessloop1552]

Well damn, so I have questions and maybe by time the end of this video u will answer but just asking While watching. Do fish eat them and then does it hurt the fish? My goldfish and kio have both eaten the balls and they also pick it the substrate. And I have cleaned my filters not long ago so hopefully I didn’t release them down my drain. So I am just asking the aftermath steps I can take since I do not see them in the tank or filter what effects on the fish I should watch for

[@SnazzyZubloids]

Gonna miss moss balls. Hopefully the issue can be resolved and they can hit the market again sometime in the future.

[@heres_the_sauce]

I've had some moss balls for about a year now. Wouldn't I have seen an effect by now if they were infected?

[@anguianoalan100]

Yes you would see them now specially around your filter intake

[@PlantedElement]

Thanks Alex for this really informative video. Our province in Alberta quickly announced it and moss balls are not available. However I do fear that we may see regulations since we are generally quite sensitive to this, understandingly so.

[@ButImFeelingMuchBetterNow]

Fellow Albertan here. Luckily, I have not had moss balls for a few years.

[@rikk8990]

It was one bad Marimo farm.

[@gin1816]

Is it okay to do water changes if it doesnt go down the drain? I empty my water buckets on my lawn. Just a curious question. ( i dont own marimo moss balls)

[@TankTested]

That's a tough question. It really depends on the yard-if the water can easily flow into a drainage ditch or a similar waterway, it is not a good idea to dump them in your lawn. We also know that invasive aquatic species can travel via duck feet or other waterfowl, so even a "contained" invasive pond or drainage area can pose a risk. Ultimately only you have the context to know if dumping waste water in your backyard is safe.

[@gin1816]

@@TankTested thanks for the explanation. I knew there was more to it than what i was assuming to be completely harmless. Anyone thinking about this please be aware there is always a risk! Be safe and responsible everyone!

[@Aquagold.goldysingh1313]

Well job .❤️❤️great work 🙏

[@Gabesafish]

I received an email on this subject from the Maine dept of inland fisheries and wildlife. They are directing that anyone who is keeping or has kept marimo balls in their aquarium, to: Remove and destroy the marimo balls. They provide clear instructions and methods for this. Move fish and livestock to a temporary tank with new water. They don’t say anything specifically about how to handle filtration, but obviously you can’t just put a bunch of fish in new water without an established bio filter and expect them to survive. Nor can you move and re-use the bio filter equipment from the original tank without the risk of zebra mussel contamination. Poor instructions from Maine on this part. They instruct draining , cleaning sterilization and drying for the original tank including all equipment, substrate and hard scape. They provide clear instructions and methods on how to do this. They instruct removal, destruction and disposal of all live plants that have been kept in the same system as marimo balls. Are you kidding me? I can’t see many aquarists willing to comply with this. So much time and money goes into growing our planted tanks and they think that we are all going to destroy them as a “just in case” measure?

[@TankTested]

I understand that it seems aggressive. If it’s not something you’re willing to do right now, I’d recommend not doing water changes for a week or two and seeing if their guidance changes as we learn more!

[@Gabesafish]

@@TankTested I’ve never kept marimo balls, but who’s to say that some of the other plants I’ve purchased over the years weren’t previously kept in systems where marimo balls were present? What I’m really curious about right now is how retailers are planning to sterilize their systems. Look at the big box chains...they routinely mix these balls in with their large multi tank systems with shared filtration. As per the eradication instructions, that would mean every one of those stores should be shutting down all of their equipment to be sterilized. Imagine the financial losses associated with doing that. Who is going to make sure that this is happening as and where it should? You’re right. This is a huge deal for the hobby and could get very ugly.

[@Cillana]

Do you have the ability to always put aquarium water out on the lawn instead of down the drain?

[@peculiarone339]

@@Cillana This is what I'm wondering as well. I also use my wc water to water my house plants are they now at some sort of risk?

[@MatildasMama]

@@peculiarone339 : same. AND not only do i use the water for my plants, i bottle it and give it to neighbors, our nanny, her daughters, etc .. what a MESS.

[@DeeFromBrooklyn]

Holy cow. I just saw a zebra mussel in my local Petco. I ask the worker where it came from and he said it just popped up🙀... What should we do?

[@PaulZyCZ]

The situation in Europe is complex with this species. For example Danube and rivers flowing into it are probably native habitat, but it's invasive in Elbe. I live in a region where it's native, but it's invasive in the most of my country.

[@triplera22]

I see clip about zorro then finally i am here.

[@wayne_._]

same thing but this is interesting ngl

[@arachnophilegrrl]

I am here because of the Father Fish and.King of DIY channels! Let's do what we can to stop this, fish fam!

[@steph_lopez]

Your voice is so soothing but in a way to make you listen more instead of doozing off.

[@jamiebaker6516]

So I'd the moss balls are in your aquarium what should you do? I've had moss balls in a tank for a year at this point. I'm really supposed to eradicate all plants and dry all substrate and give all the fish away and start over?

[@cattfishing]

I believe if you got your moss balls before this issue. You wouldnt have to worry. I definitely wouldnt go destroying the years of hard work, and risk the lives of your beautiful fish and plants.

[@TankTested]

Just to clarify, we don’t know how long this has been an undetected issue. BUT, we also don’t know how long zebra mussels can survive in a home aquarium. We’re in the early days of this crisis and as a result the advice we’re giving out is out of an abundance of caution-it’s very likely we’ll learn more soon about how at risk long-term aquariums are. If you feel you are an edge case, I suggest not doing water changes for a week or two and wait for more information to emerge. Then you can decide what to do.

[@jamiebaker6516]

@@TankTested there's also the worry that stores and wholesalers are infected and have been for a while. So, all lfses need to sterilize as well. How long should we avoid purchasing plants or selling them?

[@TankTested]

Honestly that’s a great question, and one I don’t have an answer for. Hopefully we’ll get guidance from experts in the coming days. The good news is that most big box stores do not keep Marimo balls in their community tanks. But I don’t think we made it quiet clear enough in the video how potentially catastrophic this could be for our hobby. If there is evidence of cross-contamination the ripple effects could be devastating.

[@jamiebaker6516]

@@TankTested oh most definitely! This could be the end

[@alecsblayde13]

I destroyed my moss balls but I have a question. I use my aquarium water to water my house plants. Is that a danger to my local water system? Can these things live out of water in potting soil?

[@TankTested]

I do not think that is dangerous. The mussels cannot live outside of water for extended periods of time.

[@peculiarone339]

@@TankTested Thank you for answering this question. I have been wondering the same!!

[@JD-qn5le]

Great! 😒 I haven't had them for years.....until 3 mnths ago when I put them in all 7 of my tanks. I have taken them out. Ugh. This can turn into an ecological nightmare. Thanks for the info. This needs to be highlighted so we can stop this now!

[@CO-ho4ry]

OMG i am so happy not only do i have my moss balls in a "contained"container but also i have not poured any down the drain because i watched another video describing this!

[@polemius01]

Just put a year-old marimo ball in the freezer. But I am loathe to tear down a well-established tank.

[@michelinemorin7056]

As of November 2022 do you know where in Canada I can get some.

[@unusualaquariumecosystems5805]

Wow your like the third KZbinr discussing this topic this week.

[@musician200X]

I have some Marimo balls in one of my tanks. I bought them over a year ago. Should I still destroy them or am I safe?

[@jaykneegarner2479]

Your likely safe it a issue with a new shipment that came in within the last few weeks.

[@ButImFeelingMuchBetterNow]

My water changed water goes down the drain. I have no yard or garden to use it in. No house plants either. Thankfully, I do not have any Marimo balls and haven't had any for a few years. However, I have recently found snails in two aquariums. One is a planted tank. I suspect the snails came in there. How they got into the other tank I have no idea. However, these look different from the standard "pest" snails. I do not know what kind there are. Right now they are very small and nearly all white in colour.

[@mikefritz4111]

Thank u so much for this info. I am burning mine in fireplace after drying out. I do aways worry about even my plants somehow getting in ecosytem thru water changes. I do try me best to use my aquarium on my garden but when rain could run off. I just do the best i can

[@weezypeezy1725]

Unless you bought them recently, don’t throw them away

[@jeanmck1577]

I was wondering, if you had no option but to put aquarium water down the drain, would it be an idea to drain into a bucket then add bleach before getting rid of it?

[@AussieAquatic]

Aquarium water removed from fish tanks is always best to water gardens and plants, best for plants and waterways stay cleaner.

[@HNcomics]

I've sold fish to Cara before! Small world in the aquarium hobby.

[@zgoalscorer8450]

I i just bought 3 can i wash them when i get it and freeze them then go ahead and put into tank or will freezing the marimo ball kill the marimo ball?

[@TankTested]

Freezing will kill them. I’d put them in a jar by a window for a few weeks and monitor them.

[@zgoalscorer8450]

@@TankTested thanks and change water at all?

[@zgoalscorer8450]

i have a grow light for plant propagation that runs 6!hrs under that is ok?

[@TankTested]

If you are concerned, you should not change the water. The concern is actually dumping the larve into local waterways. After several weeks in a small jar it’s far less likely that any hitchhikers are still alive.

[@C2NNED1T3]

I have some moss balls from last year that are still good would they be fine?

[@thejasminedragonmerchant6843]

Is there really no other way to deal with this? Most people don't have sterile, ready-to-use hospital tanks for livestock and plant transfer in case of a complete emergency tank shutdown/sterilisation, and I can't imagine throwing out or freezing years of expensive, possibly-infected plants will be easy to do, either. I get that the zebra mussels aren't desirable and can pose a big threat to waterways and such, but for the media to start telling people to just nuke their tanks isn't exactly going to elicit good responses. Is there maybe something that eats zebra mussels?

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

if anyone put these moss bass in their aquarium , then later changed water and dumped the old water down the drain.........all the pipes are infected.

[@arachnoskull6311]

Can we do away with Hypostomus Plecostomus specifically to?

[@McMerwe]

liked and commented so that it gets suggested futher.

[@Jstroman221]

Good PSA!

[@GoodKyn]

Zebra mussels again... god daaaam

[@VOLightPortal]

Isn't there a natural predator of some sort that can liberally feast on zebra mussels...

[@sehsea]

How about Mossballs from japan. I got mine in South Korea and are like years old. Maybe i shouldn't be converned because its been recent and in the states.

[@NeonKue]

Natural Marimo from Japan are protected from being taken or sold. All of the Marimo being sold on the online market are from one supplier in Ukraine where Zebra Mussels are native. So all the supply of Marimo sold around the world since the beginning of 2021 are possibly infected.

[@catfur4167]

Are marimo moss balls from singapore ok?

[@AQUAPROS]

😱😱😱

[@arachnophilegrrl]

Same bro!

[@clwtwizted]

Are you going to touch on dates or time of when the infestation started or just cause fear and panic reaction? I have had mine for years. In no way, by me destroying my plants will that solve any of these issues, and by having a separate uninfected batch, we may be able to reintroduce the moss when they can be proven to be environmentally safe. I get the idea, but this is the same as wearing a mask when you are by yourself in your own home. Good idea on bringing awareness to invasive species and what to look for, bad on not explaining what to look for and how to make sure you dont have them in the first place.

[@cbcluckyii4042]

I think common plecos, cabomba plant are considered invasive species in some states and the common goldfish is pretty much considered invasive across US & Canada

[@ianchan4257]

Drain it in the yard.

[@vblackwell3347]

😉 Yes & the shrubs,flowers and/or grass will luv ya for it!

[@robertforrest7956]

Nothing like Busting Your Balls😏... I know, bad pun Alex. I've been reading about this everywhere. Just a shame.. no telling how many have already squeaked past and into the hobby. 😩 Thanks for a more indepth look into this issue. Get that poke so we can see how the Mother Tank is doing. 😅 Take Care Alex... ✌️😎

[@snowsubliminal7424]

Are they save in the uk

[@annalee7403]

Ouch.

[@k9feces]

I’ve put zebra mussel infested native plants in my tank and they didn’t seem to survive in my tank.

[@greendogwax]

I just ordered more yesterday :(

[@Gabesafish]

I believe the seller will most likely get back to you that they are no longer available, but if they don’t you should report them to their state’s fish and game dept.

[@robertmcauslan6191]

Can we breathe for a moment and stop telling people to bleach a tank? Or at least add "well ventilated area" to the advice? Bleach plus ammonia equals toxic/lethal fumes. Do we know how UV sterilizers impact this animals larvae?

[@voluntaryismistheanswer]

I imagine they are killed like every other pathogen and parasite, lol. This is ludicrous. People will do anything when fingers are snapped, even by the people who get rich killing fish selling carbon filters and betta bowls to clueless noobs.

[@brookeholley8066]

I’ve used moss balls for a few years and I’ve never had a clam in my tank.

[@53muse]

Just freeze them or boil them before putting them in the tank.

[@caseyisgreat]

I have had mine for a few years now. I'm thinking there safe

[@C2NNED1T3]

Same I wanna put them in my axolotl tank

[@caseyisgreat]

@@C2NNED1T3 are those hard to take care of? I have always wanted one

[@gloom0259]

Zoro is Marimo head

[@naio1869]

Is this still an issue?

[@luciefortova7796]

Killing something just in case is such a human-like thing to do, so unreasonable!! Are you sure the cause are the moss balls only? Can't it be any other common aquarium plant too? Or can't it be caused by a leakage in the pipes near sea coast or sth? Bad maintenance of the pipes? Or just simply global warming, such a general cause, isn't it? I'm just shouting ideas, they may sound stupid, but this killing "solution" just made me SO angry. I can see the panic spreading among people after this video, everyone massively killing these cute balls just because it's said so.... I do understand it's a big problem for the ecosystem and everyday's life, but it could be solved in a very easy way and that is by actually not pouring marimo's water into the sink, doesn't it?! I keep my marimo for two years now, it's practically my pet, I'm not pouring its water into the sink but to my indoor plants and I would never kill it just for "better good". Not a solution I would choose.

[@321tms2]

Here in eastern Europe it lives in lakes and rivers and do not cause any problems as far as i know. and several times i had few in my aquarium coz they are known to filter the water from small particles, bu having only few never helped me with clearing water more than filter does.

[@TankTested]

They are native to Ukraine and Russia, but in the US they are outcompeting all our local filter feeders. In areas where they have taken over, our local species are all but wiped out.

[@321tms2]

@@TankTested here in Baltic states we have simmilar problem with ivasive norhten american crayfish Orconectes limosus. They outcompeting local spiecies. We all have to be more careful with what spiecies we bring in our homes and never release any of them in to the wild.

[@gittekastbergnielsen7596]

No need to destroi them, a quik dip in alun bath, and there is nothing living in them

[@veaperl8795]

Thank you for this. I love my moss balls..I actually buy mine from a private person who grows hers in very clean conditions . I just hate to think of all these moss balls being destroyed when they could be saved and the bad critters destroyed. I haven't seen anything suspicious in or on my moss balls....I would destroy them if necessary....so I'm Soo glad you posted this. I'm going to do it just to be even safer.

[@veaperl8795]

Just exactly what is Alun....I can't find anything on it.

[@zafishguy5166]

Imo some of the mussels that took hold as invasive species that are already there should be collected from their habitats and used as pufferfish food. Or even use a few in tanks normally. To fix the problem it would help to have a purpose for the species already there.

[@chiquiboimartinezespina2555]

You are soo CUTE!😘

[@joedavis6069]

I had five Marimo balls and found they were loaded with snails, I ended up having to strip the tank down and start over, the snails were so bad.

[@sundaysyndrome_]

ICHIDAI SANZEN .. DAISEN SEKAI

[@PittsburghTimeMachine]

I never really liked these things anyway.

[@davidhess4639]

Bullshit. Start using your used water to water plants outside use more loaches in your thanks. Just be smart.

[@Your_VR_dude]

Too bad I’m not I’m not destroying mine just because of an opinion

[@Shaden0040]

Instead of whitelisting plants sales whitelist countries importing plants from that have had suspect and proven transport invasive species.

[@sdqsdq6274]

think its just this brand or origin , never heard of zebra mussels in marimo balls

[@fisharefriends598]

I’ve had my Marino for years. I’d love fresh water mussels in them !! Uk’s had them for 200 years. So too late for us

[@Wetorp]

Omg the world will end!!!

[@obsiosiris]

Shan't be getting rid of anything

[@brendaallen8873]

O

[@spealded]

goobab

[@picbygiz]

Well, i Will never destroy my marino. That’s crazy when we empty them from nature and now it’s a hysteri of some zebra muscle that all ready are in the country.

[@br.he.5870]

Never liked them, never had them, and also never will..thanks for your video- its just a confirmation, that they are useless.

[@mikefritz4111]

I cant believe there are dislike on this video. What kind of people are they.

[@saltykraken9471]

Lmao! destroying perfectly good plants to virtue signal.

[@DaniKenAquatics]

It makes me glad that I drain my tanks into my yard instead of down the sinks. :) I wonder if soaking the Marimo balls in Alum would kill the zebra muscles?

[@missmermaid6249]

I’d try it. Seems like alum does a “killer” job on snails 👍

[@peculiarone339]

This is what I do with my WC change water as well as use it to water my house plants. Are these two instances safe? Are my house plants safe? I read that the mussels can grow in dirt!!

[@DaniKenAquatics]

@@peculiarone339 we have not had an issue as of yet if anything the water is great for the houseplants lol

[@knucklesskinner253]

This is some insane news