Scientists wish mollusk-munching redear sunfish can re solve problem with pests in valley’s primary water supply

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Dead quagga mussels are clustered for a stone at Lake Mead year that is last. The mollusks discharge toxins that will move up the system.

Redear sunfish

• Understood aliases: Chinquapin, Shellcracker, Mason Bream, Tupelo Bream, Mongrel Bream, Yellow Bream, Stumpknocker, GI (Government Enhanced) Bream
• The basic dorsal coloration is olive with darker specks.
• Redear depend mostly on mollusks for food and don’t compete heavily with insect-eating seafood. Redear have actually very developed teeth that are grinding or shell crackers — in their throats. One's teeth crush snails, their fare of preference.
• Redear are typically based in the United that is southeast States but have now been introduced into a few states. Their range that is normal is the Mississippi River basin in Indiana and Missouri south to your Gulf Coast.
• Redear sunfish can meet or exceed 10 ins in length and weigh over 4 pounds, making them popular sport fish.
• Sources: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Provider

Refresher course: The mussel risk

Mussels absorb toxins and hefty metals from the pond water and later expel them as highly focused pellets. Toxins could then go into the system whenever base dwellers eat the pellets. Quagga mussels may also create more conditions that are favorable algae that will contaminate drinking tap water with toxins.

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Beyond the sun's rays

Nature seems to have a brightly colored treatment for the quagga mussel intrusion at Lake Mead.

The redear sunfish is sat on the subs bench become introduced while the prospective savior of this Las vegas, nevada Valley’s water source that is main.

UNLV biologist David Wong, the region’s chief quagga fighter, has very very very long suspected that seafood appetite may be the optimum solution into the clam infestation.