Painters mussel ( unio pictorum ) between 4 and 8 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.
Painters mussel ( unio pictorum)
The painters mussel is quite hardy and can survive a wide range of conditions. These mussels are better suited to ponds as aquariums usually don't have enough floating particles for the mussel to consume, However, mussels can sometimes thrive aquariums if food is put in for them such as algae (green water), phyto plankton, crushed fish pellets, flake food (finely crushed) or liquid fish food such as Liquifry. The larvae of the painters mussel are called glochidia.
