At first, the idea of mussels in the home pond may seem strange and exaggerated to some hobby gardeners. But pond mussels in particular not only bring a variety of life into the garden pond for the interested observer, they also serve as a natural filter and can even completely replace complex technical filter systems. We explain what to look out for when keeping pond mussels and how, in particular, the difficult hibernation can be managed without any problems.
Pond mussel as a natural water filter
There are many reasons for putting pond mussels in your home garden pond. From a practical point of view, however, their contribution to clean and clear water should be mentioned first and foremost. Most people know that mussels filter their food from the water. But did you know that a single adult pond mussel is able to filter up to 40 liters of water per hour and free it from suspended matter and above all algae? With this level of performance, it is in no way inferior to classic mechanical filter systems, such as those found in numerous water points in private gardens.
requirements
It is precisely this ability and at the same time a mandatory requirement of this mussel species to be able to filter large quantities of water and also to have to take care of it that results in some basic requirements that you should not neglect when keeping these exciting animals in your own garden pond:
water volume
Since the pond mussel can not only filter a lot of water, but even has to filter it for its own survival, it is dependent on a certain volume of water that offers it the necessary conditions for a constant sufficient supply of food. It is assumed that the pond should hold at least 120 liters of water for each mature mussel.
food supply
In addition to the pure amount of water, it must also be taken into account that the mussel does not actually need the water, but the nutritional components it contains. In a "normal" garden pond with aquatic plants, fish and other usual inhabitants, this shouldn't be a problem, since this "vacuum cleaner of lakes and waters" simply feeds on everything that floats in the water on small and tiny, mostly vegetable suspended matter.
Only operators of a modern, puristic, plant-free water basin will quickly learn that it can be quite difficult with the pond mussel without any water plants.
notice: Of course, the pond mussel could also be provided with food separately. However, the question then arises as to why these animals are used as water filters if the water then has to be “contaminated” with extra food to supply them.
water temperature
With regard to the water temperature, the pond mussel is very adaptable and can even cope with summer temperature increases in its home waters without any problems.
number of individuals
If you want to calculate the maximum number of possible pond mussels from the criteria already described, be warned. Because these sensitive creatures react, for example, to water temperature and other environmental conditions with a strongly varying activity and thus also filter performance. It is therefore advisable to start with a few specimens in the garden pond, depending on the size of the pond, and then to observe the change in water quality. If the water becomes clear, the maximum number of individuals may already have been reached. If, on the other hand, the pond is always very cloudy, it is worth adding more animals.
danger: Most pond mussels are sold as immature animals. When deciding on the number of specimens in your own body of water, you should therefore keep in mind that size and thus filter performance can still increase!
neighbours
Finally, the question may be allowed as to how the pond mussel presents itself as a neighbor for other animal inhabitants of the pond. It can be said that the adult mussel does not pose a threat to any other animal in the pond and that the "usual suspects" cannot pose a threat to it either.
However, it can indeed become a problem for fish in the reproduction phase. Because the pond mussel larvae nest in the gills of the pond fish and can cause great damage to the animals. However, the lower the number of mussel specimens and the larger the water volume, the lower this risk should be.
keeping pond mussels
Once the basic requirements have been clarified, the question arises of how to keep the pond mussels in your own body of water. Due to their self-sufficiency from the water, it is usually sufficient for them to provide them with a suitable location:
- Flat pond edge areas preferred, but outside the overgrown zone so as not to restrict water circulation
- Water depth at least 10 centimeters at the location of the animals in order to avoid the uppermost water layer
- create sandy to fine gravel soil, as mussels usually bury themselves halfway for a secure hold
Once these conditions have been met, they place the animals loosely on the sand at a distance of at least 30 centimeters from each other. There they then bring themselves into the optimal position and bury themselves proportionally in the sand.
tip: In order to optimize the filter performance by the shellfish, individual shellfish can be distributed around the entire edge of the pond. In this way, they compete with each other the least for the available food.
wintering
As simple as it is to keep pond mussels from spring to autumn, it can become critical in winter. Because the small water volumes and low depths of the local ponds freeze over very quickly, so that the mussels' survival is threatened. However, there is a simple and effective way to remedy this. The basic requirement for this is that the pond has a deeper area, ideally with at least 80 centimeters of water depth. Because from this depth, complete freezing is no longer to be expected. The mussels can easily overwinter in this deeper zone. And relocation is also easy and practical:
- Choose a bucket of the right size for the number of mussels available as winter quarters
- Fill the bottom of the bucket about 20 centimeters with sand
- Lay the mussels loosely on the sand so they can bury themselves
- Slowly lower the bucket to the bottom on a rope at the deep end of the pond
- In the spring, pull out buckets on the rope and put back mussels at a previous location in the shallow water area
If your pond does not reach the required depth, you can of course overwinter the pond mussels in an aquarium. The water in the aquarium should be the same as the pond water. There should also be enough sand in the aquarium.
notice: Although pond mussels need a certain volume of water for feeding during the warm months, they can easily overwinter in buckets close together. Because the falling water temperatures put the mussels into a kind of hibernation, while the low water exchange between the bucket and the pond is good enough for the basic supply.
diseases and parasites
Finally, the question of possible or recurring diseases or parasitic infestation also arises with the pond mussels. It can be said that in the domestic pond there is no typical disease that can be specifically combated waiting for the mussel. The same is true of parasites. If the animals get sick, in almost all cases it is due to insufficient care, i.e. too many mussels in the pond. And this can be easily monitored and controlled by a targeted observation of the water turbidity.