Your aquarium may be contaminated, how Washington wants you to react Matthew Smith
Millions of dollars have been spent to prevent invasive species from reaching Washington’s waterways, but an item sold at Petco is sounding alarms that the work could be derailed by a simple item meant for people’s aquariums.
Mere weeks after Washington’s “Invasive Species Awareness Week,” the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning that zebra mussels have been identified in “moss balls” sold at stores in our state.
Zebra mussels also called quagga mussels are a small, invasive species that can spread rapidly. They are an especially large problem for Washington because they’re capable of blocking water pipes on hydroelectric dams. Some have estimated that if the invasive species takes hold, it could cause up to $100 million worth of damage every year repairs that would be needed to be funded to ensure basic infrastructure needs are met.