How to Keep Mussels in Aquariums

Although they make a tasty meal, mussels can be kept alive in an aquarium under the right conditions.

Mussels are a mollusk found in freshwater locales such as ponds and streams. They are considered to be a bivalve, which means they have a hinged outer shell. Mussels are a seafood delicacy and are frequently served steamed with other seafood, such as clams or oysters. Although uncommon, it is possible to keep mussels in an aquarium for a period of time. The aquarium must be set up properly a couple weeks in advance before adding mussels to it.

Things You'll Need

• Aquarium
• Sand or gravel
• Floating plants
• Water filter or airstone
• Tropical fish (optional)
• Algae-based food (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare your aquarium ahead of time. Set up at least a 10-gallon aquarium for every two to three small mussels or one large mussel. Place the tank in a cool spot that does not get direct sunlight or heat from air vents.

2. Line the bottom of the tank with sand or gravel, similar to the substrate that is the mussel's natural habitat.

3. Fill the aquarium with water. Maintain the water at a temperature of 50 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Connect a water filter or an airstone inside the tank, to circulate the water.

4. Add some floating plants to the water, and let the aquarium run without the mussels for about two weeks. Add other sea creatures, such as tropical fish, to the aquarium -- as long as they are not predatory toward the mussels.

5. Place the bag that contains your mussels on the top of the aquarium's water surface, to adjust the temperature of the water in the bag to the water in the aquarium. Drain the mussels from the bag, and add them to the aquarium.

6. Feed the mussels an algae-based food once a day, if there are no fish in the aquarium; environments with fish should provide the mussels with more than enough food, although you may want to provide a supplement of algae food once a week.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove any mussels that appear dead immediately, to keep them from contaminating the water and killing all the other creatures inside the aquarium.

• If you see the mussels unburrowing themselves and moving around in the aquarium, the water may be getting too hot. Check the temperature and adjust, if necessary.

References

• Aquarticles.com; Fresh Water Mussels - Better than a Rock; Robin Engelking; July/August 1999
• University of Massachusetts-Amherst: Freshwater Mussel
• Carolina Biological Supply Company: Freshwater Mussel