SteveC
Contributor
I just got back from diving Haigh quarry with 30+ feet vis. Last year before the Zebra it was about 10 feet. Are Zebras going to be good for us divers?
zebra mussles, good or bad?
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Rainer
Contributor
Good for divers, bad for most everything else...
Bad. Ruins the natural ecosystem and makes divers complacent in their line laying techniques. 
Plus, they are sharp little buggers. They wore out some kevlar gloves and put a few fine slices in my finger here and there.
Plus, they are sharp little buggers. They wore out some kevlar gloves and put a few fine slices in my finger here and there.
cobaltblue
Contributor
In Lake Michigan we're actually starting to see a slight decline in the zebras. It seems as the gobies are eating them. It also seems that something must be eating the gobies because it seems as though there are less of them this year. Maybe at some point it will all come to some sort of equalibrium.
cobaltblue:
Are the gobies concentrating toxins from the zebras and kicking the bucket? I also thought the gobies were invaders too. Geez what a mess, although the gobies are cuter!
erparamedic
Vampire Girl......er Dork
When I talked to Tina (? I think that's her name) at Haigh... she said that we, as divers, should feel free to crush some and feed them to the fish... and that the fish will love us for it!! I guess the fish will actually follow you around like a puppy if you feed them the zebra mussels. LOL She said the infestation there is getting pretty bad, and she would welcome the "help" (ok, the futile effort) of getting rid of some.
Arete
Registered
On many of the dive sites around here, people bust open urchins to feed groupers.
As a result, the groupers, whilst big charismatic fish and cool in themselves, follow you around expecting to be fed and scaring everything else off. Also, there's an increase in kelp growth and a decrease in anything else that you might actually want to see on some of the busier dive sites....
But then if the mussels are an invasive species that's taking over anyways, you might score some fishy friends.
As a result, the groupers, whilst big charismatic fish and cool in themselves, follow you around expecting to be fed and scaring everything else off. Also, there's an increase in kelp growth and a decrease in anything else that you might actually want to see on some of the busier dive sites....
But then if the mussels are an invasive species that's taking over anyways, you might score some fishy friends.
They are a big concern out West. Any boat that has been East of the Mississippi for less than 6 weeks has to be pressure washed before it can be launched & have a ranger watching while it's done. BLM has a big worry that they will clog the intakes of the turbines for the dams.
ScubaThor
Guest
30' visibility at Haigh?? Wow. Kinda wish I'd gone this weekend now.
Fouremco
Contributor
Martha says they're a GOOD thing!
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