JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.— The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is warning about a potential zebra mussel infestation for aquarium owners. 

The concern comes after the invasive species was found in moss balls in Washington state and it’s possible they also were distributed to buyers in Missouri, according to the MDC. 

Any aquarium containing moss balls with zebra mussels also have the potential of having zebra mussel larvae in its water. Aquarium water poured down the drain could introduce zebra mussels into a new body of water. 

The MDC explains the invasive species was first reported in Missouri in 1991 in the Mississippi River near St. Louis and has spread to the Missouri, Osage and Meramec rivers and streams. There also are at least 10 infected lakes, including Lake of the Ozarks. 

The zebra mussels can clog power plants, drinking water intakes, boat hulls and motors, impact fisheries and disrupt aquatic ecosystems, according to the MDC. 

If you have found the zebra mussels in your aquarium, you should properly dispose of them according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s guidelines.