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Grass Carp for Controlling Weeds in Your Pond

Grass Carp for Controlling Weeds in Your Pond 

Pond Health Using Sustainable Methods


Over time, you’ve expressed a need for more easy-to-use tips and systems for pond health since most ponds require remote power access. We know you’re smart and want the most affordable, effective methods for keeping your ponds clear and usable for livestock, etc.

Missouri Wind has created pond aeration systems using our Suntaqe Power Without Batteries unit, but we know more than one method should be used to really get the best results.

 

 

Grass Carp to Control Weeds

Jeff created this video to explain the benefits of grass carp to control weeds in your pond and improving your pond ecosystem. Jeff’s home pond uses a solar-powered aeration unit, aquatic plants, and good old fashioned pond raking.

Recently, we’ve discovered the pros to introducing grass carp into the mix to give you even more options. Read below for some facts about grass carp, including a downloadable PDF aquaguide from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

 

 

 

Non-chemical Aquatic Weed Control

Grass carp provide a non-chemical method of aquatic weed control – they are a member of the minnow family. These fish are known as white amur (Ctenopharyngodon idella). It is a long, slender fish that’s silver in color and can grow up to 100 pounds. This Asian minnow has large throat teeth that allow it to tear and shred plant material. They feed almost exclusively on aquatic plants, consuming 2-3 times their weight each day and gaining 5-10 pounds in a single year.

Grass carp cannot reproduce in ponds and lakes, making them the ideal control agent. Typically, they are most effective in consuming and controlling pond weeds until they reach the age of eight. Depending on the number of fish introduced, a significant reduction in nuisance plants is not noticeable until the grass carp’s second growth season.

To read more about harvesting the fish and determining the number for stocking your pond, please see this downloadable PDF from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Image Courtesy of HookHack.com - Grass Carp

For more pond aeration tips and tricks, watch Jeff’s Pond Aeration playlist from our Missouri Wind YouTube Channel: