Quagga and Zebra Mussels In California

[da.bell]

Only a matter of time before they reach NorCal. Looks as thou they might be in Don Pedro Lake already.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24283651

[talltigeguy]

Since learning of the little beasties in Lake Mead, I have been preaching inevitability ever since. You might as well transplant them right now to every lake in the Western US. They will be there eventually.

[da.bell]

True, but it's hitting home a lot sooner than I thought. I talk with my ex-brother-in-law still and he works for the US Dept of Fish and Wildlife. Since he is a biologist, he says that heat will kill them. But I have to connect it to my water heater and that still isn't hot enough to kill them.

Just some really nasty buggers.

[talltigeguy]

True, but it's hitting home a lot sooner than I thought. I talk with my ex-brother-in-law still and he works for the US Dept of Fish and Wildlife. Since he is a biologist, he says that heat will kill them. But I have to connect it to my water heater and that still isn't hot enough to kill them.

Just some really nasty buggers.

What are you talking about?
Does the X bro say how long they could live in the ballast tanks with no fresh water and no new oxygen? No one seems to give me a straight answer, but it would be a pretty hardy beasty if it could handle a few days of 100 degree heat in my garage with no fresh oxygen to them.

[da.bell]

I can ask him this weekend. That is a good question but I faintly remember someone saying that they can live out of water for 3 days only. The problem with the ballast tanks are..... There might be water in them even though you think they are empty. But, I will call him.

[dogbert]

Throw some bleach in there and they'll be sanitized for your protection

[Big Wave]

These buggers are nasty but fortunatly for us they do not like to colonize on plastics. They also do not like chlorine, 1ppm will prevent them from growing. most city drinking water has 1-2ppm so adding a little to the ballast system would also due the trick but probably not neccesary.
They also do not like turbulance and vilocity so they will tend to avoid our cooling systems as well. If boats are left in the water for days on end there they may colonize in the cooling system to the point they could clog it.

[mcd]

We've had them in Michigan for 15+ years. The good news is that they really clean up the water. I can't recall ever hearing of them surviving in an engine, but I've seen them colonize around fresh water intakes. I've noticed that they started to decline about five years ago. Wear aqua socks. They will slice open a foot very easily.

[Costigan]

We've had them in Michigan for 15+ years. The good news is that they really clean up the water. I can't recall ever hearing of them surviving in an engine, but I've seen them colonize around fresh water intakes. I've noticed that they started to decline about five years ago. Wear aqua socks. They will slice open a foot very easily.

OUCH!

[scoot18]

Can't you just steam up and eat the little fella's.

[gcalkins]

In Missouri / Illinois we are also being threatened w/ the Zebras. So after I pull the drain plug and let it drain on the boat ramp (if on one is waiting), what can I do to prevent the little buggers from being transported in my '03 22V to the next river or lake?

I'm afraid bleach may corrode pumps, piping, wires, etc.

Suggestions...............??

[talltigeguy]

Saturday I went to my local lake and they are thinking they want to stop them from coming. I still think it is futile with them already within 100 miles of us. Anyway, they give me a grilling over whether the boat has been in mussel affected waters.

They then passed a flier that said if you go to Powell or Mead you need to empty all water out of the boat and engine and clean all dirt and mud off the boat and then steam it down with 140 degree water.

OR

If the boat is all dry then it is Ok if it has been more than 7 days in the summer or 18 days the rest of the year.

I am not sure what being all dried out means as that the engine will always have some water in it during the summer, but that water has been heated up to 160 degrees or so, so I do not think that is a real threat. They were not clear if I am supposed to drain the engine, despite the fact the beasts could not survive the water flowing through there.

I did not ask if they have a steam sprayer handy.

[mcd]

When they hit here, we were told that they can live 2 days out of the water. Bleach has been popular in the bilge. The trailer is also a concern. Plus bait well for fishing boats.

[balair]

Can they survive winters or do they just live where it is warm all year round? We don't have any in Iowa thank god. Our lake doesn't have anything bad for the ecosystem other than stupid carp and boat exhaust

[larryueckert]

just watched a fishing show on lake erie and that lakes full of them isnt that lake all ways cold