Rob McCormack
The Freshwater Mussel– Velesunio ambiguous is a native of the Murray Darling System. There are 2 different types of mussels in NSW. River Mussels require flowing water to live and breed. Flood Plain Mussels are the one we grow, they require still static water and thrive in farm dams or ponds etc.
These Mussels grow well in farm dams and breed readily. A minimum of 100 mussels are required to establish a population.
Mussels are excellent for dams, ponds or fish tanks. Most of our sales are for two separate purposes.
Firstly they go to people with ornamental ponds in their yards. Freshwater Mussels are biological filters, they suck water in, filter algae, plankton and pollutants from the water and eject pure, clean, clear water. They are the ideal remedy for dirty water, mussels will keep it clean without the need for power filters or chemicals.
Secondly, to people with earthen farm dams growing fish or yabbies. They are stocked for the same reason as ornamental ponds, to help keep the water clean. At least 100 mussels are needed to start a dam population. The males release sperm into the water column, the females then suck the sperm in with the normal water they take in. The eggs are then fertilized and incubated inside the female mussel. Baby mussels ejected by the female require a host stage to develop into miniature adults. Fish are the best hosts though there is some evidence that both tadpoles and yabbies can perform this task.
Mussels have a large strong, tough tongue that they push themselves around the dam with or burrow into the pond bottom. The mussel burrows with only the top tip of the mussel shell protruding from the mud. From this position the inlet and outlet tubes filter the water.
To capture mussels you need to run your hands along the bottom of the dam and when you feel this round top of the shell you can pull them from the mud.
Freshwater mussels are traditional aboriginal tribal food. However we consider them pretty rough tucker, you need to be hungry to eat them.