The faucet snail Bithynia tentaculata, a nonindigenous aquatic snail from Eurasia, was introduced into Lake Michigan in 1871 and has spread to the mid-Atlantic states, the Great Lakes region, Montana, and most recently, the Mississippi River. The faucet snail serves as intermediate host for several trematodes that have caused large-scale mortality among water birds, primarily in the Great Lakes region and Montana. It is important to limit the spread of the faucet snail; small fisheries equipment can serve as a method of snail distribution. Treatments with chemical disinfection, pH extremes, and heated water baths were tested to determine their effectiveness as a disinfectant for small fisheries equipment. Two treatments eliminated all test snails: (1) a 24-h exposure to Hydrothol 191 at a concentration of at least 20 mg/L and (2) a treatment with 50°C heated water for 1 min or longer. Faucet snails were highly resistant to ethanol, NaCl, formalin, Lysol, potassium permanganate, copper sulfate, Baquacil, Virkon, household bleach, and pH extremes (as low as 1 and as high as 13).
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2008 |
---|---|
Title | Survival of the faucet snail after chemical disinfection, pH extremes, and heated water bath treatments |
DOI | 10.1577/M07-211.1 |
Authors | A.J. Mitchell, Rebecca A. Cole |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | North American Journal of Fisheries Management |
Index ID | 70033511 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | National Wildlife Health Center |