Commonly called ‘marimo’ or ‘moss balls’, Aegagropila linnaei Kützing was declared on Wednesday, 11 November 2015, an ‘Unwanted Quarantine Pest’ in Tasmania and must not be imported into the State.

Usually sold through the aquarium trade as a novelty item for fish tanks or display freshwater ponds, it is not known to be currently present in Tasmania.

An aquatic algal pest it presents a significant invasive threat to Tasmania’s natural freshwater lagoons and highland lake ecosystems.   The organism, if it were to establish in Tasmania’s waterways puts at risk the ecology of freshwater and lagoon ecosystems and freshwater fisheries.

Particularly concerning is the potential that this organism can carry other very harmful, invasive organisms like Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata).

If you are aware of any one selling ‘marimo’ or ‘moss balls’ in an aquarium shop or has them already in a fish tank or freshwater pond please contact Biosecurity Tasmania immediately at http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity.