Fast facts about freshwater mussels | Things to Know

The humble bivalves can clean polluted water and bump up diversity - but there's plenty more to learn about the odd group of mollusks that make their homes in our streams and rivers.
To learn more, read our feature on freshwater mussels: www.knowablema...
An installment in our Things to Know series.
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[@reliablyrandomoutdoors]

Great vid.... I have been studying the fresh water mussels around Indiana for a few years now... they really are cool!

[@nunyabizness9216]

I'm next door in Ohio. All freshwater mussels are protected here. Is it the same there?

[@reliablyrandomoutdoors]

@@nunyabizness9216 yes, same here. I wish the law accounted for foragers and the neglegeable impact on thriving species but I get why they are protected. It is just a clumsy law, harvesting should require species identification and bag limits. U have any thoughts on that matter

[@nunyabizness9216]

@@reliablyrandomoutdoors I think the total ban is OK. I live in a rural county with very few creeks and no river. It doesn't take much to upset a population in an area like this.
I personally wouldn't eat anything from Ohio's rivers or creeks. Way too many pollution sources.

[@fredflintstone6163]

There are some large ones for food or fishing

[@reliablyrandomoutdoors]

@@fredflintstone6163 Like the Giant Floater

[@johsiantorres8495]

They can also live in the great lakes

[@perfectfan2006]

yep we call them razor clams

[@thesilentone4024]

Question are there any mussels or clams that don't need host fish for there babies 🤔.
Same goes for sea clams too.

[@paxhumana2015]

I like calling mussels and clams squidges and the baby ones as baby squidges, as they make a squidge sound whenever they squirt out water.

[@dimsan9972]

Theres mussel that live in the pond in my neighborhood

[@himarisan_8193]

IDK why but to me theses mussels are so cute! (•>•)

[@Jessica-ul6me]

I have one and my husband got the pearl out without hurting it, I think, it came from Italy in a thing of water but idk if it's alive? I was going to put him my pond out back in ohio just in case...

[@laced3484]

for day
what mussels do for env. : 0:30
y it would matter if they disappeared: 0:50
what scientists do to help: 1:01
:)

[@jackadam01]

I keep catching them in a pond near my house i always throw them back though because I'm only after the fish.

[@gerrimiller3491]

Mussels are so tasty too🥣

[@johndenzel1434]

Damn Dams👀

[@lawrenceseaboyer4883]

Can fresh water clams make pearls

[@annamariabressani7980]

H

[@Danny7930]

No they cannot

[@laverdadbuscador]

YES!
That is why the great Lakes hardly have any clams now. They were over harvested for their pearls.

[@paxhumana2015]

​@@annamariabressani7980 , bot?

[@paxhumana2015]

​@@Danny7930 , actually, yes, they can, but they are generally of poor quality, plus they are also irregular in shape.
Source: former assistant to a freshwater mussel diver.

[@ajcollection2091]

I feel dizzy eating ruver shells (Ottawa river)🤦🏻‍♀️

[@Yourmomma568]

yeah can you eat them outta the ottawa river? i always wondered because you can pick hundreds of them out of the beach.

[@donnajeanmcmahon5334]

Fresh water mussel shells used in making shirt buttons.

[@Princetaylor7373]

How many eggs did she gave at a time..???

[@BrassBashers]

That looked like a freakin lot lol, hundreds at least

[@ratherbeonthemoon]

I found 3 last week the size of my foot

[@established_1803]

Everywhere in Ohio

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

👍🏼