34 replies to this topic

[smellsfishy]

burying them selves is natural.
i noticed because my hadnt moved from the half opened shell spot for ages.
plus i used to take mine out heaps

[alex101]

hahaha i do that to the ones in the pond i try to touch their tounges

[smellsfishy]

and then they squirt water at you

[alex101]

yeah so how many mussels do you have

[smellsfishy]

none, i had them when i was 8 in boyanup with my yabbies

[alex101]

aaah do you still keep fish mate or have you stopped

[smellsfishy]

ill pm you alex so we arent of topic.
im thinking of putting mussels and guppies in my spare pond quppies for abit of food and mussels to sell i guess. just an idea

[alex101]

sounds like a plan ay yea i just caught some mussels perch and shrimp down at canning river

[smellsfishy]

oh yeah and chuck some shrimp in them ill have heaps of live food when it comes to archer fish time.

[alex101]

hahaha yeah

[keleherr]

hey sorry to be the bearer of bad news but freshwater mussels here are a protected species and it is illegal to remove or sell them. from where you have seen/got them they would be W. carteri. it is also illegal to bring over other species from the east.
i doubt u are breeding them, they require a fish host and the species for this is quite specific. On the fish they become encysted and live as a parasite for a period of time until they have transformed into juvenile mussels, they release themselves from their host fish and begin life in the sediments.

[mattt]

Taken from another site, posted today -

I am also interested in sticking a few of the mussels in my pond. I speared a call into the WA Fisheries to check on this. Basically, you don't need a licence and as far as I can see, there are no bag limits. Obviously, if the mussels are in a bit of trouble in the wild, it would make sense to take only enough for the tank. Might make a nice day to take the family for a BBQ and let the kids collect a few.

[bigjohnnofish]

hey sorry to be the bearer of bad news but freshwater mussels here are a protected species and it is illegal to remove or sell them. from where you have seen/got them they would be W. carteri. it is also illegal to bring over other species from the east.
i doubt u are breeding them, they require a fish host and the species for this is quite specific. On the fish they become encysted and live as a parasite for a period of time until they have transformed into juvenile mussels, they release themselves from their host fish and begin life in the sediments.

im not too sure how many truths are in this statement... there is an old dam in a national park not far from me... and the only fish that inhabits this water is the gambeze... gambusia... or just the plain mosquito fish....
i somehow doubt this is the host fish..... the mussells are now in big numbers... compared to when i was a kid....

but i do know bitterlings require mussels as a host to raise their fry... and thats a fact... even mr google will help you out on this one.....

[alex101]

i think maybe the gambusia are the host fish for my mussels because mate i have lotsa baby ones i started with 5 now i have 12 i had more but some died actually lots died

[bigjohnnofish]

old age mate.... i see plenty of empty shells at the dam too..... but lots more little ones coming on....