Fishing Frenzy

Governing the plant life in a pond, or any body of water is quite critical. Why is this you say? Well, since for whatever reason, you have chosen that you do not want it there. Whether those plants have create a sort of hindrance for swimming children, or have just simply stopped up the engine on your favorite boat, you want them gone, and there are many ways of doing this.

Naturally you can use chemical substances, plastic lining, freezing, manually pulling them up, or even dye, but all of those are fairly strenuous, and there is no guarantee that the pond, or even the fish, will ever be the same again following these actions. So it's time to have a look at alternative means-methods which will not damage you OR the pond.

Around nineteen sixty-three, a brand new fish was introduced in to the U.S. ecological, and that fish was known as the Grass Carp. It was purposefully introduced into the ecosystem for the simple purpose of eradicating aquatic plant life, and so far it has done a great job. Here in the United States, the Grass Carp is commonly referred to as a White Amur, probably because the word Carp holds derogatory meanings here in the United States., and the name "Amur" refers to the river which this fish comes from, the river that runs the border between China and Russia.

The Grass Carp, is what is known as an aggressive species, meaning that it'll reproduce and overtake any ecosystem which it is placed into (similar to humans), however science has come far, and though it required a lot of time, as well as a lot of gene manipulation, sterilizing the Grass Carp finally became standard everywhere in the world so that it's introduction does not harm or destroy the ecosystem.

Another thing to take into account, is that the Grass Carp doesn't consume everything, of course it enjoys plant life, and would consume most of it, however as with human being, there are items that it prefers more than others. A few of the things that the Grass Carp will enjoy, are:

Coontail Spikerush Smartweed Bladderwort Bulrush Water hyssop Eelgrass

There's many additional grasses, and a visit to a library, an Internet search, or talking with a professional will quickly let you know the things a grass carp will consume.

When purchased in bulk, Grass Carp is pretty inexpensive, ranging from about $10-20 for each fish, which is perfectly reasonable when you consider how long it'll last; surviving for about 10-11 years.

In some states, you'll need to acquire a license prior to putting Grass Carp into any sort of water, whether it is your water. To discover if that's necessary, talk to a game warden in your area, or just check the regulations of your state, since this information is readily accessible to any person that requires it.

As you can see, Grass Carp are an excellent alternate means from using chemicals, or lining your pond with plastic, because not just are these great for getting rid of undesired plants, you must additionally remember that it's an interdependent relationship, you give something that they desire, and then they provide a service to you, preventing you from having to do this on your own. On the whole, that's a great trade.