THE WHITE AMUR

The White Amur/Grass Carp:

The White Amur is an herbivorous, freshwater fish that is native to North Vietnam.  It was introduced to the United States in 1963 to be used for aquatic weed control.  Amurs have an elongate, thick body.  The lateral line contains 40-42 scales.  The body is green to yellow-brown with a white belly.  They also have broad pharyngeal teeth.  The White Amur grows rapidly and can eat up to 3 times its body weight in one day. 

The White Amur is now considered to be an invasive species in the United States due to the sometimes detrimental effects it can have on ecosystems.  The Amur was introduced to eat aquatic vegetation, and that is just what it does.  It will eat all of the vegetation in a body of water.  If your goal is to achieve a pond that has absolutely no plants, such as a pond just for swimming, the Amur will keep the pond free of weeds.  However, if you desire to have a pond that is a balanced, healthy ecosystem that supports the growth of other fish species, the Amur should not be stocked in your pond.

A balanced ecosystem will contain 15-20% vegetation that will be a habitat for fish and other organisms.  The Amur will not support this balance.  The only fish that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends to be stocked are largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and redear sunfish.