Containing the plant life in a pond, or in any body of water is very important. Why you say? Simple, because for some reason or another, you’ve chosen that you don’t desire it to be there. No matter if those plants have create a sort of hindrance for swimmers, or have have simply stopped up the engine on your favorite motorboat, you wish them gone, and there’s many ways of doing it.

Of course you could use chemical substances, plastic lining, freezing, manually pulling, or perhaps even dye, however those are fairly inconvenient, and there is no guarantee that your pond, or even the fish, will actually be the same again following these actions. Therefore it’s time to have a look at different means-methods which will not damage you OR the pond.

In nineteen sixty-three, a brand new fish was placed in the United States ecological, and this fish was known as the Grass Carp. It was deliberately introduced into the ecosystem for the simple reason of eliminating aquatic plant life, and so far it has lived up to it’s reputation. Here in the United States, the Grass Carp is commonly referred to as the White Amur, presumably because the word Carp holds negative interpretations here in the United States., and the name “Amur” refers to the river which this fish comes from, a river which runs the border between China and Russia.

The Grass Carp, is what is known as an aggressive species, meaning that it will reproduce and overtake the ecosystem which it is placed in (sort of like humans), however science has progressed a long way, and though it required a lot of time, and lots of gene manipulation, sterilizing the Grass Carp became standard all over the world so that the integration doesn’t harm or eradicate the ecosystem.

An additional detail to note, is the fact that the Grass Carp does not eat every kind of grass, of course it loves plants, and will eat most of it, but just like with human being, there’s things that it prefers over others. A couple of the items which the Grass Carp will like, are:

Coontail Spikerush Smartweed Bladderwort Bulrush Water hyssop Eelgrass

There are several additional grasses, and a quick trip to a library, an Internet search, or talking with an expert will quickly let you know the things a grass carp will consume.

When bought in large amounts, Grass Carp is fairly inexpensive, at about $10-20 per fish, and that is perfectly reasonable when you consider how long it will last; surviving for about 10-11 years.

In some states, you will be required to get a license before you place Grass Carp into any body of water, even if it is owned by you. To find out if that’s necessary, speak with the game warden in your area, or just check the regulations of your state, since that information is readily available to anyone who requires it.

Clearly, Grass Carp are an excellent alternative from utilizing chemicals, or lining the pond with a plastic cover, because not only are they great for getting rid of unwanted plant life, you must additionally remember that it’s a symbiotic relationship, you provide the thing that they desire, and in return they provide a service to you, keeping you from needing to do it on your own. All in all, this is a good trade.

Before you get Grass Carp, make sure you go to Dave Duncan’s excellent website on Grass Carp, www.grasscarp.com