Freshwater Mussels

[M4R13Y]

I have heard of freshwater mussels being a nice addition to an aquarium but didn't know what they ate and what type of care they needed or if they would be suitable with other animals or if they were just species only.

Any info would be much appreciated

Thanks M4R13Y

 

[fluttermoth]

Simple answer is; they won't survive in a tank without very specialist, dedicated care, and even then they often die.
 
Don't get one.

 

[techen]

Where did you read that they were good for your tank o.0

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Mussels are great sustainable seafood option.  My personal favorites are the Prince Edward Island blue mussels (although they are marine, not freshwater)...  I enjoy them in tomato sauce with a bit of capers and garlic (Caruso).  Not as much a fan of the white wine sauce, but if its available, I will readily eat that as well.
 
As far as keeping them in your tank... I think its a bad idea.  

 

[M4R13Y]

Hahahahahaha

I heated they would filter feed on al the waste and algae

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I don't believe there is sufficient free floating material in the tank to allow them to properly feed under normal circumstances in a tank.  Besides, you wouldn't really SEE much with them either.  Just buy a rock that looks like a mussel and drop that in the tank.  Tell people its real, but you won't have to worry about it dying and fouling the water.

 

[Donya]

[I have heard of freshwater mussels being a nice addition to an aquarium but didn't know what they ate and what type of care they needed or if they would be suitable with other animals or if they were just species only.

 
 
They require regular, usually daily feeding in small fw systems. To keep filter-feeding bivalves unfed requires quite a big system with a nice ecosystem too - like a small pond or something. They are filter feeders that need particulates from the water and often it's pretty specific things they eat. In the past I kept a couple of fw mussels (and also some clams) and had them for quite some time, but it required daily feeding with filter foods and water changes every couple of days as a result in smaller tanks. The requirements are very similar to those of marine filter-feeding Bivalves, but the fw animals actually struck me as harder (perhaps less biodiversity in the average, similar-sized fw system?). 

 

[aether.ed]

Where did you hear they were good for aquarium? If anything the opposite is true. When reproducing they have a larval stage that can be problematic with fish. Their larvae is parasitic and sticks to the gills of fish looking alot like whitespot.

 

[fluttermoth]

Where did you hear they were good for aquarium? If anything the opposite is true. When reproducing they have a larval stage that can be problematic with fish. Their larvae is parasitic and sticks to the gills of fish looking alot like whitespot.

How fascinating; I didn't know that, thank you!

 

[aether.ed]

Bought an axolotl many years ago and had what looked like ich all over its gills (axolotls do not get ich), turned out they were baby fresh water mussles, they all fell off when they were ready but looked nasty on my little critter and i cant imagine he was comfortable as he was always scratching his gills.
 
Just did a quick google and this is the first thing that came up,  http/www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/zoology/mussels/mussel_lifecycle_lesson.html
 
A quick snippet... "Attachment of the larvae to the fish: The larvae attach themselves to the gills or fins of the fish, where they are covered up by tissue that grows around them. They undergo metamorphosis into the juvenile state. After two weeks to two months, the juveniles drop off the fish and settle into the bed of a lake or river."
 
So its not really something you would want in your aquarium, probably not entirely harmful but cant be pleasant for the host fish.
 
Yes, its fascinating stuff!
 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I learned something new today!
 
Out of curiosity, do marine mussels (like the Prince Edward Island variety I love so much) also do this?  

 

[aether.ed]

I learned something new today!
 
Out of curiosity, do marine mussels (like the Prince Edward Island variety I love so much) also do this?  

I dont really know, might be worth googling about marine mussles reproduction or breeding. I would have thought they'd have a larval or planktonic stage but dont know if they use fish as a host though. Might be the exactly the same situation or might be whole different ball game i'd have a look myself but im meant to be working haha.

 

[aether.ed]

Hang on.... found something.
 
Marine mussel larvae are not parasitic like their freshwater cousins.
 
"One of the major differences that can be noticed is in the fertilization. In marine Mussels, fertilization happens outside the body. The larval stage drifts for three to six months before settling on a hard surface as a young mussel. In fresh water mussels, the males release sperm directly into the water and it reaches female through incurrent siphon. Once fertilization takes place, the eggs develop into a larval stage called glochidium, which attaches to the fish’s fins or gills. Before this, glochidia grow in the gills of the female mussel."

 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Good to know...  
 
I knew I liked the marine ones better.  

  Nicer to their neighbors and taste good too!  I think I know what's for dinner tomorrow.