Bloody-red shrimp (2020) – biosecurity

Touch too much: aquatic disinfectant and steam exposure can inhibit further spread of invasive bloody-red mysid shrimp Hemimysis anomala.

This study investigated the use of two common aquatic disinfectants (Virasure® Aquatic, and Virkon® Aquatic) and steam on the mortality of bloody-red shrimp (Hemimysis anomala). H. anomala are highly invasive, and can have a negative impact on native zooplankton and mysid species.

In this study, wild caught H. anomala were kept in a laboratory setting prior to experimentation. Once acclimatised, three treatments were tested, H. anomala were;

1. 1. 1. 1. immersed in a 1% aquatic disinfectant solution for 60 seconds,
         2. misted with 1% aquatic disinfectant solution for 60 seconds, and
         3. exposed to steam (≥100ºC) for both 10 and 30 seconds.

Complete H. anomala immersion in a 1% aquatic solution for 60 seconds yielded a 100% mortality rate. When H. anomala were misted by 4ml of a 1% aquatic disinfectant solution for 60 seconds, air-dried and revisited after six hours, 100% mortality rate was also observed. There was not a clear statistical difference between the effectiveness of Virasure and Virkon. Finally, H. anomala exposure to steam for both 10 seconds and 30 seconds resulted in 100% mortality.

This study highlighted all three treatments were effective, and compliment other research in this area. In theory, these methods could be integrated into already existing invasive species cleaning practises used in the aquatic sector.

Coughlan, N.E., O’Hara, S., Crane, K., Dick, J.T., MacIsaac, H.J. & Cuthbert, R.N. (2020). Touch too much: aquatic disinfectant and steam exposure treatments can inhibit further spread of invasive bloody-red mysid shrimp Hemimysis anomala. Wetlands Ecol Manage 28, 397–402.

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