The cycle starts off with males releasing sperm into the water.
As the sperm gets carried away by the water currents, it may happen to enter a female mussel siphon. Once in the female, the
sperm will fertilize the egg.
The eggs develop into larvae called Glochidia. They are microscopic
and are held in the female's gills.
The Glochidia are parasitic. Therefore, they must attach to the gills of a host
fish. If they do not attach onto a host fish, they may die once they are released from their mother's gills.
The larvae then matures on the host fish. Once matured, it
detaches itself, then reattaches itself onto a substrate. The juvenile mussel will mature into an adult mussel, and the process
starts all over again.
