Ripple: Reduce Invasive Pet and PLant Escapes

Jake the Nature Nerd is at it again with a great reminder about keeping crayfish as pets

CRAYFISH: Are they a cool pet or an ecosystem threat? Many fish keepers seek a species to occupy the bottom of the water column in an at-home aquarium without knowing the risks associated with crayfish. These potential pets are EXTREMELY hard to identify & a single species may come in a variety of different color morphs… making identification even harder. Even when they’ve been properly indentified… keeping a pet crayfish within a fish tank can be a difficult task. They’re known to climb out of aquariums & if they manage to escape outside or down a drain within your home, there’s a risk of introducing an entirely new invasive speci into the ecosystem. I recommend some safe alternatives for your fish tank, including Mexican dwarf crayfish or shrimp! These are great substitutes and will make themselves at home on your aquarium substrate. Informational pamphlet provided by @msu_extension #crayfish #fish #aquarium #pet #fishkeeping

Hydrilla is an the underwater overachiever we don’t want in lakes! This prohibited invasive species once popular in aquariums grows fast, forms thick mats, and chokes out native aquatic life. It was spotted for the first time in Michigan waters in 2023.
🧐 ID tip: it has whorls of 4–8 narrow leaves, often with tiny teeth.
📍 Spot it? Report at www.misin.msu.edu

Not all claws are created equal—meet the invasive crayfish crew of Michigan. 📢 Check out our Great Lakes Almanac to Invasive Crayfish and learn how to tell these invaders apart from our friendlier native craydads 👉 bit.ly/crayfishalmanac

Fall is the perfect time to show your water garden some love! Proper care now means fewer headaches—and healthier plants and fish—come spring.
✅ Trim plants after the first frost
✅ Remove debris to reduce nutrients and algae
✅ Never release aquarium plants or fish into the wild

Learn more from this MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams article 👇

Caring for water gardens in fall reduces problems in winter and spring Water gardens experience major changes as chillier weather approaches; managing plants, fish and debris throughout the fall will lead to greater success next year.