Painters mussel ( unio pictorum ) between 3and 7 cm.
 The painters mussel gets its name from the use of its shell by artists as a conveniently sized paint receptacle in past times ,this native mussel is similar in apperence and lifestyle to the swan mussel but can be differentiated by its slightly smaller average size and long slender shell ,Like all mussels the painters mussel feeds by filtering small particles of algae, bacteria and organic matter from the water. They can be kept in outdoor ponds, coldwater or tropical aquariums and would make a excellent addition to a wildlife pond.