A-town... Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 saltwater q but mainly beach q :roll: there are small black shells found all over the rocks near our local beach bethells wanted t oknow what they are? some people say baby mussels some say pippis and others like myself just dont reall know. can someone please supply some info! thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 I would say mussels as pippis live in sand. The only other shellfish i can think of that could be in the are with them would be oysters and they are not black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted November 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 ok then is there any info on them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 They could be a number of different shellfish. If they are mussels they will be the same shape as a mature mussel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted November 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 yea i guess same sort of shape and full black no other colour all the same size none bigger nor smaller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Black Flea Mussel aka Little Black Horse Mussel, Xenostrobus pulex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted November 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 wow thanks exactly the info i need are hey illegal to take from bethells beach? someone asked me but i dunno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Cant see why not, provided you are not harvesting them commercially (ie selling them). Bigger question would be how you are going to get them off the rocks without tearing the byssal threads? or are you going to take a small rock covered with them? Should be fine to keep in an aquarium, Marine biologists have done it before, not sure about the details however sorry, as of course they are intertidal species- but should be fine being constantly immersed I would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted November 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 sweet thanks heaps for that. Nah just ma bro was moaning that il get thousands dollars worth of fines for taking a few! anyone else provide more info? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 My boss is the president of the Auckland Conchology Society, if you can post a pic or two I'm sure he'll be able to ID it and tell you something about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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