What does the zebra mussel eat?
Zebra mussels are filter feeders. • Water and food particles are brought in through a siphon and filtered by the mussel’s gills. • Particles not used by the mussel are ejected through a second siphon. How does the zebra mussel reproduce? Zebra mussels spawn once water temperatures warm to 54 degrees. They are prolific spawners; females can release more than one million eggs over a single spawning season. • Free-swimming larvae can live in the water column for five days to three months. During this time, water currents easily transport larvae throughout river systems. • Once zebra mussel larvae settle, they attach themselves to the bottom with strong, thin threads secreted from a gland on the foot. • Young zebra mussels often settle on top of older, bigger mussels, creating large colonies. Other facts about the zebra mussel: • Zebra mussels typically live three to five years, with some living up to 15 years. • Freshwater drums, yellow perch, sturgeon, crayfish and diving ducks all prey
