Should You Use Grass Carp For Aquatic Plant Control?
Governing the aquatic plants in a pond, or in any body of water is very important. Why is this you say? Well, because for some reason or another, you’ve chosen that you don’t want it there. Whether those plants have generated some type of nuisance for swimmers, or have just clogged up the motor on a favorite boat, you wish them to be gone, and there are many methods of doing it.
Of course you could utilize chemicals, plastic lining, freezing, manual pulling, or even dye, however all of those are mighty strenuous, and there’s no promise that the pond, or even the fish, would ever be anywhere near what it was after these actions. Therefore it’s time to have a look at alternative means—methods which will not break your back OR your pond.
Around 1963, a brand new fish was placed in the U.S. ecological, and this fish was known as the Grass Carp. This fish was deliberately integrated into the ecosystem for the simple reason of eliminating aquatic plants, and so far it has done a great job. Within the US, the Grass Carp is often called the White Amur, probably because the phrase Carp holds derogatory meanings here in the U.S., and the word “Amur” is a reference to the river which this fish originates from, a river that borders China and Russia.
The Grass Carp, is what’s known as an aggressive species, meaning that it’ll multiply and take over the ecosystem that it is placed in (sort of like humans), but fortunately science has come far, and though it took some time, and a lot of gene manipulation, sterilizing the Grass Carp became standard all over the world so that it’s introduction does not hurt or eradicate the ecosystem.
An additional thing to note, is that the Grass Carp doesn’t eat everything, of course it loves plants, and would consume most of it, however just like with human being, there’s items that it enjoys more than others. A couple of the things that the Grass Carp does like, are:
Coontail
Spikerush
Smartweed
Bladderwort
Bulrush
Water hyssop
Eelgrass
There are many additional grasses, and a quick trip to a library, a web search, or a consultation with a professional will immediately reveal the things a grass carp would consume.
When bought in large amounts, Grass Carp is pretty inexpensive, at about $10-20 for each fish, which is very reasonable when you consider the years of service it will give you; surviving for around ten to eleven years.
In some states, you’ll be required to get a license prior to putting Grass Carp in any body of water, whether it is owned by you. To find out if this is required, speak with a game warden in your area, or simply examine the regulations of your state, since this info is freely available to anyone who needs it.
Clearly, Grass Carp are a great alternate means from utilizing chemicals, or lining the pond with a plastic cover, because not just are they great for getting rid of unwanted plant life, you should also remember that it’s an interdependent relationship, you give something that they desire, and then they give their services to you, preventing you from having to do it on your own. On the whole, that’s a great exchange.
