Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Grass Carp in the Summer

We don't sell grass carp in the summer unless we have a large order that can be delivered direct soon after received from Arkansas. There are many reasons for this.

1. A lot of our business is fish pick up from the farm, and 90 degree plus heat in the back of a pickup truck is tough on most fish.
2. We may lose a significant percentage of fish if we have to hold them very long in vats, as they jump constantly to try and get out, which scratches them up and causes secondary bacterial infection.
3. Weed problems can be so well developed in the summer, that introduction of grass carp this late in the year may make no difference anyway.

The problem in Texas is that folks have to wait up to 2 months to get their permits processed by the TPWD. This usually means that they get their permit in the summer.

Regardless of the situation, the best time for grass carp stocking is in the fall, winter, or early spring in texas.

Todd,

I'm glad you posted this!

Some have questioned my sanity for saying you shouldn't stock grass carp in the mid-summer heat in Texas. Well, my insanity notwithstanding, I spoke with Bob Walthrop (sp?) in Tyler recently and he said that no way would he sell grass carp for stocking in the summer. I also spoke with other dealers who said the same things.

While on this subject, I'd like to add one more thought which I have expressed before...don't overstock grass carp. A pond completely devoid of weeds isn't a good thing...look at what happened to Lake Conroe, for example. Start slow, no more than 2 to 3 fish per acre, add more as necessary, but this stuff about 10 to 15 fish per acre is really not the best, IMHO. It is far easier to add than subtract.

Agree with Meadowlark. I know a few people who are very displeased with having excess GC. Very long lived and hard to eradicate.

I to agree also , with to many Grass Carp .

Bad news !

I have no vegatation at all , they saw me coming !27 for 1.6 acre's . Have only managed to get rid of two , one on fish food pellet and one with deer rifle . The one killed with the Deer rifle - 35" long 14#.

Hope not all survived stocking .

Bass fishing is lousey !

Harvey .

I put 4 gc in my 1/6 acre pond this spring. I believe one passed on so now I have three. It appears as though they are eating pellets now that the vegetation is down for the summer.

Is this a problem??? Will they go back to veggies?

kevinlp,

That is a stocking equivalent rate of 24 per acre.

Is it a problem? It depends on what your objectives are for the pond. If you want a completely vegetation free pond, then you will be very successful.

If you are trying to grow other fish in that pond, you may not succeed.

There is not much vegitation in the pond besides FA. I got them to control the FA. In the spring I was up to 75% coverage of FA. I also tried the barley straw for several months before getting the GC. All the FA disappeared shortly after I got the GC. I think it may have went away last summer also, so the test with be if it returns this fall and next spring as happened last year.

Grass carp do not like algae, sad to say....only if there is absolutely nothing else for them to eat will they eat algae.

I can assure you the algae will be back next spring as the water begins to warm, whether or not you have grass carp present. However, you have so many grass carp in such a small area that they may indeed be forced to eat algae to survive. Let us know what happens.

Although grass carp do not like algae, they can prevent the growth of algae indirectly. They do this with their movements at the shoreline, which breaks up filamentous algae and causes it to disperse. They also consume some of those shoreline grasses that serve as substrate for filamentous algae growth.

Our farm ponds stocked with grass carp do not grow filamentous algae if they are stocked as a preventative.

I believe everyone starting a new pond should stock 2 fish per acre just for maintenance. It will save money in the long run, and you'll have more fish on your permit should something arise in the future that require more fish/acre.