Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I've seen a few discussions about mussels, namely that they need fish to breed and they're a decent filter.

Can someone with some experience with them answer a few questions ?

1: What kinds are there, and what are the major differences (i'm looking for one that will do well in the states in zone 5)

2: What do they eat?
3: What temperatures can they withstand?
4: What do i need to do to care for them, breed them, etc?

Im generally just hoping this becomes a knowledge point for them rather than a discussion on the efficiency/effectiveness of raising them. Just so that we can get the facts out there that I haven't been able to glean from other posts.

Please note, i'm more than happy being linked to information sources. I like reading

Hi there
I'll give you this as a starter http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/young_natura ... index.html
Note it's a Minesota not Missouri link (regulations)

OK
1 more
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/WHMI/WEB/ ... sJan16.pdf
My experience
Wery easy to culture (nurse)
Best filter you can ewer imagine
No commertial value (aka no market $) here in Norway, might be differente where you live?
Werry tasty

Thoughts
might not be aplicable in AP set up???
Unless put after growbed in the loop, do to their effective digestion(filter cap).
They are not legal around here anymore do to their invasive nature, so unfortenatly I cant try them out.
I have natural wild habitants still so I can harvest/eat/enjoy
Cheers

http://www.aquablueseafoods.com.au/other-mussels.shtml
http://www.karipearls.com/freshwater-mussels.html
http://aquablueseafoods.com.au/other-mussels.shtml

As requested ?
I herby rest my case

Has anyone done them in Aquaponics? What were they like? I'm still reading those other posts.

Yes there was someone with mussles, cant remember who, maybe it was vlt.

I bought 280. I think I have 40 left. Enough said.

Did you eat them? Your fish? Something else?

I have 3 large mussels in my system from the local river all doing fine atm

Yeah, don't think that is enough said....

hahah in the thread i think his fish/yabbies ate most of them

Ive got one and he/she it, is doing fine

I guess I should explain

Alot died due to being eaten by the fish and yabbies but even when separated, many died due to no apparent reason.

They add little value to a system.

bugger.....

We tried to order some but weren't allowed to bring them in without approvals..

you find heaps of big ones in the sand in upper canning river. Last time i was down armadale/kelmscott way with my kids i was showing them a few decent ones as well as a heap of yabbies.

Wether or not you would want those ones in your systems or not might be up for debate but they seemed pretty healthy and the yabbies i used to eat all the time when i was a kid.