The SC Department of Environmental and Health Control is warning residents about moss ball products sold in pet stores that can be harmful if introduced into waterways.
The agency confirmed that invasive zebra mussels were found in containers of Betta Buddy Marimo Ball products used in home aquariums. The product was sold at at least two pet supply chain stores in South Carolina, including Petco and PetSmart.
A DNR press release said there was a national effort to prevent the sale of products and to remove them from stores across the country. Since March 8, the product was no longer available on the Petco or PetSmart websites.
There is a concern that live mussels released in a rain drain or washed may be introduced into a watercourse.
The zebra mussel is one of the most destructive invasive species in North America, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Once established in a body of water, the species can take control and interrupt the food chain, alter water chemistry and obstruct water entry and distribution systems.
David Lucas, a DNR spokesman, said that zebra mussels have caused huge problems in midwestern states and can bypass native mussel species and kill them. They can also be harmful to other native fish habitats, in addition to power generation or water supply infrastructure, said the DNR.
South Carolina has not yet experienced an outbreak of zebra mussel, but the species has invaded watercourses in nearby states.
“We simply want to prevent this from happening because it can be a real aggravating factor and an expensive problem in the places where it happened,” said Lucas.
People who bought the moss balls should get rid of them, but they should not be dropped into sink drains, flushed into toilets or thrown into a river or stream. That is also true for the water in the tanks in the aquarium where the moss ball was, said Ross Self, DNR’s head of freshwater fishing.
The product must be decontaminated by freezing it in a resealable plastic bag for 48 hours, boiling it in water for at least a full minute, or immersing it in bleach or vinegar for 20 minutes.
After being decontaminated, the moss ball must be placed in a sealed plastic bag and discarded in the trash.
If the moss ball has already been placed in an aquarium, the tank must be sterilized with bleach and water, said the DNR.
More instructions can be found at fws.gov.
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