Taking action to prevent the spread of invasive zebra mussels Alberta’s government is asking anyone who purchased moss balls after Jan. 1 to destroy and dispose of them. Some parts of this page will not display. JavaScript is not available in this browser or may be turned off. Zebra mussels shown next to moss balls. Live zebra mussels, which are an invasive species, have been discovered in moss (marimo) balls, a spherical, plant-like algae commonly sold at pet and garden stores throughout North America, including in Alberta. Albertans should destroy moss balls by freezing or boiling them, then placing the moss balls in a sealed plastic bag and disposing of them with their household trash. Moss balls, and any water they were in, should not be flushed down the toilet, put down a drain or placed in a compost.