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Effects of Grass Carp on Freshwater Red Swamp Crawfish in Ponds
Author(s) -
Forester John S.,
Avault James W.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1978)107<156:eogcof>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - grass carp , swamp , procambarus clarkii , hectare , biology , fishery , carp , competition (biology) , zoology , agronomy , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , crayfish , agriculture
A study was conducted to determine effects of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) on red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) in ponds in Louisiana. Grass carp averaging 190 g each, stocked 4 fish per 0.01‐hectare pond, significantly reduced the average yield (number and total weight) of harvestable size (⩾74 nm) crawfish. Stomach analysis of carp suggests that competition for food (plant matter) was the cause of lowered crawfish yields. After vegetation was depleted, the amounts of animal matter (mainly cladocerans, crawfish, and gyrinids) in grass carp stomachs increased greatly.