Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment Risks with relocating plants?

The lake I work on has a lot of Illinois and American Pondweed. I would like to get some and put it in my pond.

Is there anything I should be concerned about such by relocating them to Texas? The lake has Zebra Mussels but I can wash the plants off to get rid of them.

I strongly recommend that you do not relocate plants from waters that have zebra mussels unless you want them in your pond. My guess is that this is not only a bad idea, but likely illegal.

Chris:

What's your confidence level that you will wash 100% of the zebra mussels off of the plants and any attached soil?

Good but definetly not 100%.

Zebra Mussels can't survive temps higher than 90 degrees so I think I will get a tub and plant the pondweed in it. There is no way they will survive a summer in Arkansas in a 20-30 gallon tub.

FYI - the larvae are microscopic

RAH,

I work on a research project with Zebra Mussel larvae.

Sounds like you have a good handle on how to ensure that you don't transfer any to the pond. Personally I would want to be 110% sure that I don't introduce any unwanted species to the pond, especially an invasive one!

Good luck! Not sure why you asked the question, if you were sure you could rid the plants of the zebra mussels by washing them off?

I was more interested in making sure I don't transfer diseases that could effect my fish. I don't know anything about that.

Chris:

Have you found (noticed) any diseases or parasites in the pond that has the Pondweed that you don't have in the pond that'll receive the plants?

The pondweed is in the Arkansas River. I don't remember seeing anything but there is alot of water out there.

Anything is possible... Sometimes you just can't worry too much IMO. We do spend lots of money on building, stocking and maintaining our ponds and to introduce an unwanted parasite or disease would be unfortunate, but what are the odds? I'm betting less than the odds of getting diseased fish from a hatchery...

I'm a firm believer in the saying "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger". I've read where kids in cities have a greater predesposition to allergies than kids raised on a farm. I think that goes for wildlife as well.

But, with that said, I don't knowling expose myself or the pond to nasties.

I have stocked the pond with fish from a local lake, and while I give the fish a once over to see if they are healthy, I don't worry about disease. I figure if the fish in the lake that I catch and relocate are healthy, then they must have survived any nasties that were in the BOW that I got them from. Any that look beat up or in poor health end up on the bank.

I wouldn't lose sleep over it!

Last week I sampled 16 sites all around the lake using a 1 meter square grid and only found 6 zebra mussels. All of those were at one site that is not close to where I would be getting the pondweed.

We had some hot weather at the end of june that probably killed off most of them.

What is the lethal limit for them Chris?

If it is over 86 for a week there will a massive dieoff. If it is over 90 there is a total dieoff.

Thanks, I didn't realize it was that low a temp.

Chris,
I'm sure you have your reasons, but why would you want APW? I have been trying for 5 years to get rid of it, spending lots of money on chemicals in the process. Depending upon your pond circumstances, it can take over the place. You can come out to my ponds and have all you want!

I am not sure what Chris' motives are, but APW IMO is one of the better SAV species.

The underwater structure of the plant is thick enough to provide cover for young fish, but not so thick it excludes them. This allows introduced forage species to naturally persist in a pond such as GSH by harboring their YOY and preventing over predation before they mature and can spawn themselves. Submerged portions of APW provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species. After APW dies, its decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food for many aquatic invertebrates(such as grass shrimp). American pondweed is highly utilized as food by ducks and some other types of wildlife.

The floating leaves of it provide great fishing areas to work topwater frog baits and bass love to use the leaves for cover from the sun in the summer's heat. It is a native species and not as invasive as many other species.