Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Not that I know of...



Mussels require a fish "host" as part of the reproductive cycle.... don't think yabbies apply...



Possibly... as long as you keep them well fed.... wouldn't go anymore than that though..

Even though the volume is OK for that number.... they may not have sufficient area to mark out a territory, and might fight... a tub might be a better proposition...

Paging Nocky to the thread

Never fear I am here
Yabbies won't eat the mussels, I have Mussels living happily with WA Marron, as for blocking pipes I think Not, once Mussels find a spot they don't move for about 20 - 30 years unless you eat them, this takes about 3 years before they are size, you could keep 4 yabbies in a 80lt bin but they are aggressive suckers and will kill each other if not happy, happy yabbies I have seen at about 1 per square foot, yabbies aren't big growers so 4 yabbies is not a big feed,
As far as I know there is only one tasty mussel that will live in tank situations and as I will post elsewhere they are now available from aquablue seafoods in NSW,
Rupert (as always ) is 100% correct, mussels need a host fish to breed, the mussel eggs need to attach themselves to a fish for a couple of days until they turn into a mussel, (mussel will only spawn if it feels the presence of another fish), this doesn't harm the fish as the baby mussel drops off when much smaller than a pinhead, the problem is yabbies will eat the fish and mussels can't breed without them, the fish will also eat the baby yabbies (it is a cruel world in the tank) my solution is in my own thread below and I use Western Pygmy Perch as a host fish, Marron can't catch them as they are quick and also only grow to 65mm in length so obviously not edible but they are also too small to eat the baby marron, their are Eastern and Southern varieties of Pygmy Perch, check legalities of keeping them though, Pygmies also live on algae and mosquito larvae so another benefit, I can't tell you if it has been a successful experiment with mussel breeding for a year or so as won't be able to find them til then, I suppose a system as I have described and made is more of Native system which is starting now to support a veggie patch, marron mussels and veggies are not a bad feed hope this helps a bit and go look at my thread on my system and is also another thread where we had a discussion on mussel buying, breeding etc

Well have paid for mine so will now post that Neil at Aquablue has advised me Mussels are available but limited supply, I have 240 on the way at cost of $255.20 this includes $44 Freight, 200 of these are going in a Dam, 10 in My Missus Little System, another 25 in my own system and the last 5, well they will be the Chilli Sauce experiment

have also ordered mine, 100x would have liked more but funds are streched atm

I sat a mussel shell under the inlet to the new GB and after a few days the water is eating the shell away. Ph 7.6 ish. I know its running water but does the mussels in the FT have something to stop there shells from dissolving.

dunno, might just be the running water

Are we confident that mussels are going to breed in our AP systems? What conditions do we need to set up for this to happen?

I know it has been discussed previously that they use the fish as the host when tiny, I wonder how long they stay on them, because we would want to make sure we didn't harves while all the babies are on the fish.

Maybe I should do my own research on not ask so many questions .

i'd day that ph of mid 7's with good calcium levels are required.

maybe a few handfuls of aragonite sand would be beneficial.

Just saw the answer to the host period question on Nocky's ather thread :-).

I assume most are/will be growing the mussels in the fish tank or the sump. I wonder how they would go in a grow-bed with hydroton or gravel. After all they live in the ground in dams don't they?

I guess if they breed - many may end up naturally in the beds (as well as the sumps and tanks) due to the water movement.

i think the mussels would want a location that is permanently flooded

Yes VB here is a US explanation on how it all works so give you a rough Idea http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/young_natura ... index.html
but our variety spawn in October so no fishing from October til Novemverish I suppose
As for the dissolving shells I suppose anything dead will dissolve faster, but NFI my first lot are still doing fine and have been in a few months now,
Can't get more flooded than a tank Steve, but people grow them in sumps, but not much hope of breeding in a sump.
Another question about hosts, some asked elsewhere if yabbies would be hosts, answer is no they need a scaled fish with open gills

Reading the information on Aquablue, I'm not so sure Steve (I thik they would be fine in grow-beds - though would not breed from there given no hosts) I guess we'll find out in time, my bet is that some will end up there naturally when/if they breed. My beds flood often and besides, most beds tend to have a bit of water permanently in the bottom - particularly if using autosiphon.

I notice that on the Aquablue site they say that the Mussels are edible (a traditional aboriginal food) but a real tough. Don't sound great on the eating stakes. Will be interested to see how you find those 5 Nocky. Cooking method would have to be one aimed at reducing toughness. Maybe a few hours in the cement mixer, like they do with baby octopus

I think not on the grow bed, they would keep wet enough but the suck water in one side and blow it out the other, so not much opportunity for feeding, I have 3 mussels in a 470lt aquarium and have for the last 2 months have taken out filter, we have 2 goldies and a baby blue marron in tank and a small airstone, they seem to filter fine