Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
About Zebra Mussels
The zebra mussel is originally native to lakes of southern Russia. It is an invasive species that lives in fresh water lakes. They are small, usually the size of a finger nail. They can produce anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000 offspring per year.
FOOD AND RELATIONSHIPS
Zebra Mussels can attach to other native mussels and smother them.They can be a costly problem for cities. They can block water intakes and cause problem for people who live on a lake and use it for recreation. Zebra Mussels eat tiny food particles in the water. This filters the water making food less available for larval fish and other animals.
SERVICES
One service that zebra mussels provide is they eat small food particles in the water which acts as a filter which allows algae and other aquatic plants to grow. This however negatively affects fish and other animals that feed on small food particles in the water