wood spliter said:
Nice looks like some big pieces. What are Grass Carp?
White Amur Grass Carp (
Ctenopharyngodon idella)
White Amur will help control excessive aquatic vegetation. These fish are a very effective biological control and eliminate the need for chemical herbicides by consuming three to five times their body weight each day during their early growing years. Leafy rooted aquatic plants, such as pondweed and coontail, are the preferred food of White Amur. Lacking these, they will consume floating duckweed, green algae, and even cattails.
The White Amur have a stout, slightly elongated body, and a broad blunt head. Color is dark gray or olive on the back turning to a pale silvery or white on the lower belly.
The White Amur doesn't prey on other fish due to the lack of jaw teeth. The White Amur possess pharyngeal grinders (throat teeth) which allow the fish to grind plant material against the roof o the pharynx. Because of this the White Amur must tear plant vegetation from the top downward "mowing" off vegetation rather than rooting it up and muddying the pond bottom.
The White Amur is a strong swimmer and is attracted to flowing waters. Fish barriers may be required on upstream or downstream waters and drainpipes to contain them in the pond. The fish are able to withstand a wide range of water temperatures.
The White Amur is available in two varieties, the Diploid White Amur and the Treploid White Amur.
The Diploid White Amur is a fish genetically capable of reproducing but does not do so in ponds or lakes, due to the lack of native conditions, which are no met in these impoundments.
IA native of the Orient, the amur was imported to the U.S. for weed control and as a food fish. Its ability to annihilate vegetation and so destroy wildlife habitat has caused it to be outlawed in many states. In states (including Virginia) which require a sterile version to ensure no reproduction the Triploid White Amur is available. The Triploid is a form of White Amur that has been genetically altered to ensure sterility. This is accomplished by heat shocking the eggs after fertilization has occurred.
The White Amur is capable of reaching four feet in length and weighing 100 pounds in its native range of Eastern Asia. The maximum weight attained in farm ponds is 25 to 40 pounds. (The Grass Carp are considered excellent food fish and studies have shown a dramatic increase in the growth of sport fish in lakes so maintained). These fish should be eight inches and above to avoid bass and other large predators present in ponds. The White Amur is a tremendous tool to help keep your pond both productive and enjoyable.
Stocking Recommendation:
Light Vegetation ................ 3-5 per acre
Moderate Vegetation ......... 6-10 per acre
Heavy Vegetation .............. 11-15 per acre