Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

What Do Grass Carp Eat?

Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images

Freshwater ponds, lakes and rivers often see an influx of aquatic plants that may negatively affect the quality of the water. Grass carp, who eat just about anything green growing in the water, offer a natural method of controlling plants.

Invasive Weeds

Grass carp feast on invasive weeds, including hydrilla, duckweed and Eurasian milfoil. The greenery-loving fish also eat water hyacinth, a noxious spreading weed that often takes over warm water ponds, choking out all other vegetation.

Other Plants

Since grass carp aren’t fussy eaters, they also eat plants gardeners and landowners may prefer they leave alone. Cattails and water lilies are two of the plants grass carp enjoy eating. When food becomes scarce, carp will even reach up to nibble on vegetation alongside the shore.

Benefits

Some aquatic plants become so well-established in ponds, lakes and rivers that they keep other native plants from flourishing. Grass carp offer a biological way to control the problem since they continuously feed on the weeds and help to restore oxygen to the water.

  • Grass carp feast on invasive weeds, including hydrilla, duckweed and Eurasian milfoil.
  • Since grass carp aren’t fussy eaters, they also eat plants gardeners and landowners may prefer they leave alone.

Related Articles

Do Foxes Eat Both Plants & Animals?
Do Foxes Eat Both Plants & Animals?
Animals That Eat Rice Fields
Animals That Eat Rice Fields
How to Remove Aquatic Weeds from Your Shoreline
How to Remove Aquatic Weeds from Your Shoreline
What Does the Water Plant Elodea Need to Survive?
What Does the Water Plant Elodea Need to Survive?
How to Kill Sea Grass
How to Kill Sea Grass
Insects That Eat Algae
Insects That Eat Algae
Home Remedy for Killing Duck Weed
Home Remedy for Killing Duck Weed
Bog Plant Identification
Bog Plant Identification
How to Plant Reeds
How to Plant Reeds
Uses of Water Lily Flowers
Uses of Water Lily Flowers
The Lowest Temperature of Marigold Plants
The Lowest Temperature of Marigold Plants
Sea Plant Names
Sea Plant Names
Characteristics That Plants Share With Algae
Characteristics That Plants Share With Algae
How to Kill Mondo Grass
How to Kill Mondo Grass
Names of Plants That Live by Ponds
Names of Plants That Live by Ponds
How to Grow Stinging Nettles
How to Grow Stinging Nettles
Where Can I Purchase Peters Plant Food?
Where Can I Purchase Peters Plant Food?
Garden Guides
×