Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants talapia for filamentous algae control in Michigan

Even plant eaters will switch diets when their preferred or primary food source is depleted.

A client emptied his bug zapper collection pan into his pond, and had both Triploid Grass Carp eating the dead bugs, along with the Redear Sunfish. The Triploid Grass Carp were put into the pond to control some APW that was starting to grow last year. The pond is 1 ac, and there were minimal weeds in it to start (maybe 3 clumps of APW showing). There is no FA in this pond either, and if I didn't know the history of the ponds I would say that the TGC were controlling the FA too.

In reality, there is no FA in this pond, and there never was, not like the 2nd pond that has 6 TGC and 40# of Tilapia, and still has some FA and Macrophytes. The other pond had gin clear water and it was fertilized with water soluble fertilizer ONCE, 4 years ago. It was fertilized with 5 pounds of water soluble 10-52-4, and that created a perfect bloom that year. After that, FA started showing up, as did submerged Macrophytes.

These two TGC were stocked last year as 12+" fish as were the TGC that were stocked in another one of his ponds, which had a MUCH higher weed population. These TGC are about 15" now, while the TGC in the other pond are pushing 24" now. More food = faster growth. The other pond is the same size, and 6 TGC were stocked in that one.

Both ponds are roughly 300 yards apart, and I believe this just goes to show that not every pond, even if they are close together, are exactly alike.