Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Grass carp

I have had an issue with coontail and now hydrilla in my acre and a half pond. Last year I chemically treated the coontail and it worked. This year hydrilla came in - I tried to treat it chemically again but it did not do the job - it is all the way around the banks of my pond - I am guessing it covers around 20% of my total water right now.

I applied for grass carp and was given a permit for up to 20 of them. I have used them before in another pond with good luck.

I am deciding how many I need to put in at this point? I can always go back and add more but would rather start with too few than too many. Suggestions?

I have a 3 acre retention pond in North FL. When I got my permit 30 years ago they recommended & gave me a permit for 60 grass carp. I am patient & don't expect the pond to change the year I re-stock. From experience, I now re-stock 8-10 after a die off of the grass carp I had previously stocked. This number seems to keep the weeds down but does not strip the pond of all its vegetation.

I believe that the weed choked pond of 30 years ago, only needed 20-30 fish. The 60 fish even with an oxygen die off of 1/3 of them left me with a very bare bottom pond. I would see them vertical with their tails breaking the surface trying to eat what little vegetation there was left on the bottom.

I suppose your weather & the type of weeds have will dictate the number of carp.

Tim, I had one almost that big and 5 took care of mine. It took a couple of years but the stayed after it.

My guy recommended 12 but I think that is too many - think I will go for 7-8 - thanks for info