New Zealand Mud Snails
Learn how to mitigate New Zealand Mud Snails in an effort to keep our streams open and our fish healthy.
New Zealand Mud Snails have infiltrated our fishery’s; they were found in the DSP on May 9th, 2020. These mud snails cause smaller and fewer trout, with fewer native invertebrates BUT we can take easy steps to mitigate their spread and prevent our streams from closing.
New Zealand Mud Snails Cause River Closures
We can take steps to mitigate their spread and keep our streams open.
Where to Find Them?
NZ MudSnails are nocturnal feeders, so they are found adhering under partially exposed rocks both in very weak current and still water. They were also found on pieces of dead wood. Very few can be found in water over a foot deep.
“When they [the New Zealand mud snails] reach critical mass, hundreds of thousands per square meter can wipe out trout food on the bottom of the stream. It has happened in the West Coast states and Montana. We can keep it from happening here. With a quick soak and rinse you will kill the snails and stop the spread.”
About MudSnail Sex
Why it is vital to clean our boots…. ESPECIALLY when traveling
All females are born already pregnant. No mating, no sex, no wasted energy needed to recreate.
Reach maturity at 1/8 inch in length, which happens at about 6 months of age.
Between March and October, they bear 70 live daughters every 90 days. This is about 2 million in 1 year.
They fear only a parasitic flatworm called Microphallus
Trout Unlimited Assisted Study
Putah Creek, in California, had over 100,000 New Zealand Mud Snails PER square meter. California Division of Wildlife found an 100% kill rate when using a Copper Sulfate (CuS04) solution.
Downside
Does not kill Didymo
Upside
100% compliance by competitors during CarpSlam!
Purchasing
Buy Copper Sulfate online, 2lbs should last you a year!
HDQ Neutral online, 4 gallons should last you 10 years!
