Pond Qestion and advice

[Uncle Wayne]

The grass carp should clean it out totally. They are overly effective.

Yeah they will. I I had a similar problem with my pond and the grass carp took care of it.

 

[texasjohn]

I'll bet it will return to the pond's former aspect.... grass grew in dirt/mud... will die in full water...

 

[brin]

Thanks to all of you folks for the advice, I am going to go out to the farm tomorrow to check the pond after all of the flooding we have had and will take some pictures and post them but after all of your advice I think I should wait until Spring and see if the grass dies or the grass carp take care of it..By the way do any of you know how long grass carp live ? I put about 6 grass carp in there about 15 yrs. ago and they were about 8 inches long. My wife tells me they have either died by now or been eaten by a Herron that I would like to terminate, but that's another story. Keeping in mind that my wife is always right...what is the lifespan of a grass carp ?

I really do appreciate the advice and I will post the pictures asap.

 

[texasjohn]

A history of grass carp tells you all about it...

Grass carp are one of the largest members of the minnow family and fish as big as 110 pounds have been fished from the Yangtze River in China. A more native size for USA waters would around 20 lbs. Life span for grass carp often is 5 to 11 years, but fish over 20 years of age have been caught in China & Siberia.

 

[brin]

Thanks for the information...I think I need to get a few more grass carp - mine must have died from old age..LOL

 

[RobJ]

Thanks for the information...I think I need to get a few more grass carp - mine must have died from old age..LOL

I can't recall if it was grass carp but check with your local county extension. ou may only want ones of the same sex because they can take over. You can also check with your state wildlife dept. And it doesn't take that many either.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[Maxfli]

I share a 2 acre pond with the neighbor. We have a lot of cat tails on the shoreline. He hit his side of the pond with round up (or something similar) and I am surprised how nicely it clear out the vegatation. I would wait to see if it died away on it own, and if not hit it with a spray. I will probably clear my side next year, I was told to wait until the seeds heads are mature to spray.

 

[budlite]

Maxfli - Be VERY careful with Roundup or any weed spray, I think overspray will definitely kill the fish. Assuming you have any.

Brin - I believe that you can get a species of grass carp that are sterile. Or maybe they all are. And they should take care of the grass.

 

[RobJ]

I will probably clear my side next year, I was told to wait until the seeds heads are mature to spray.

Why wait, get them before the seeds mature, who wants more seeds. It might take a couple hits to get rid of them all. Mix the roundup double strength for faster and more complete results.

 

[brin]

I'd leave it alone and let it die on it's own. If you are lucky, it will make it through spring and offer cover for you baby fish. But I think that in a few months, there won't be any sign of it.

Eddie

Eddie, you and the others were exactly right..now after all of the rains we got here in Ga. I mean, a 500 yr. flood and the wettest season I have seen in 30 yrs. the pond is now full and all I did was add grass carp..but the tall grass I had growing in the pond is all now submerged and you can't see it unless you get up real close and it will provide great cover for the little fish..I will try to upload a picture..wish I had taken a before...but just know that the pond was down a good 3 ft and about that far out from the shore all around the pond we had the tall grass growth - about a 3 ft. wide band all the way around.