How many Grass Carp should I stock in my pond?
8 per
acre for leafy weeds, and 12 per acre if you have algae, duckweed or lilly pads.
Only in
large quantities for large lakes, brought in on my truck.
Will carp eat algae and duckweed?
Yes, if you let them eat everything else
first. So it may take time to see results. They do not prefer these weeds, and will not be as effective as they
are with other weeds. Some customers say they have worked. I think if the amount of weed isn't overwhelming they
might be more successful, but nonetheless, the state biologists and I won't tell you they work all the time. Carp are
a little fussy about what they eat.
Do
carp eat lilly pads and cattails?
Probably not, according to what the literature says.
But I have a customer near Richmond who eradicated their lilly pads in a year. There are many types of lilly pads.
I don't think carp like the ones with jelly on the underside of the leaves and on the stems.
Do you sell other kinds
of Fish?
How long will the fish live in my pond?
The State of VA says 6-8 years on average. I have known customers who have their fish for 15 years and others who
replace them every few years. I have had people who had otters decimate their fish population in the winter, or have fish
kills from low oxygen in the summer.
What percent of fish that
I buy will make it to my pond alive?
My fish are guaranteed for 5 days in your pond.
You shoulnt't lose any. In any given year I only have to replace or refund a couple of fish.
Will predators cause loss of carp?
Otter, eagles, and osprey can prey
on carp. Turtles, not much if any. Carp are fast and their biology/genetics has adapted them to be shy and they
dart away from unespected movements or shadows.
The most common way to lose carp is to have a lot of
water flowing through, but not have a fish barrier. Carp will go out with flowing water (upstream or downstream). Every pond
if different, so call me and we can discuss yours.
How
long will Carp effectively reduce weeds?
They don't eat much when the water is cold, below
50-55 degrees. After they are 6 years old, their metabolism slows and they eat less.
When should I replace ar add more carp?
I usually recommend restocking after
4-8 years, if they are over 30 inches, or if the weed population seems like its expanding, its time to replace them or add
more. (see FAQ #1)
People also ask when they will see a difference in their pond. That all depends on how
weedy it is and how active the fish are. Normally you should not expect to notice a big difference in the first several months.
How much do carp eat?
These
carp eat about 3 pounds of weed for every pound of flesh they have. So if you have a ton of weeds, a few carp would take a
fair amount of time to catch up.
Are these the same as river
carp?
No, our Grass Carp are sterile (cannot reproduce) and very different than the reddish-yellow
river carp around VA.
Can fishermen catch carp?
It
is unusual to catch tripolid grass carp. But in Europe, there is a popular sport around catching them because they
get up to 40 lbs. Those fishermen have remote controlled feeders, boats, and special techniques and equipment for catching
them. Check them out on the internet!
Are
Grass Carp good to eat?
I have been told they are. In the US, you don't hear as much
about eating carp as you do in other countries. I would contend that the cleaner the water is, the better they would
taste. If very weedy and uiddy, they might have an off-taste, just like other fish. Some agencies are trying to
create a restaurant market and industry for harvesting Grass Carp that have escaped and gotten into the Mississippi River.
Apparently in one taste test, they beat salmon. That said, I have never eaten one, as mine are "working fish",
and I really like salmon either way!