We have a new pond behind house about 125ft long x 80ft wide x 7-10ft deep and have cattails trying to take over about 75% of it around edges around 3ft from bank,looking for a way to get rid of them? We stocked it with fingerling fish in last week of February so were very leery of chemicals! Any advise will be highly appreciated. Thanks DAN

 

If it is an earth bottom pond it will need a chemical and/or 'dug' out. Cattail's root system is so invasive it can't be pulled.

 

Happen to know of any chemicals that are fish safe?

 

This would be my choice: Diquat (Reward) is about $140 a gallon for the concentrate. It kills on contact and results are usually visible in a couple days. It can also work if put in the water but it takes a lot more chemical and is not selective. Diquat kills the top part of the plant so quickly you may have to re-apply a time or two in case of re-growth, but a gallon of concentrate goes a long way and it would last you for many seasons.

Fluroidone (Sonar) also controls cattail and many others but is about $1'600 per gallon (it is very strong so your pond would only need about a pint at $300). It is very expensive but controls many, many plants... and also kills the grass growing around the edge of your pond if you don't like trimming with the Weed-Eater.

I have had some success with glyofosate (Round-Up, Glyfos) at at $45/gal for Glyfos and $120 for Round-Up. I have had some kills of frogs, tadpols and salamanders probably from the surfactant.

 

How safe is the Diquat in your opion for very young fish?

 

The use of aquatic herbicides is frowned upon and in some areas you have to have a permit. Check with the local Cooperative Extension Service.

For info on Diquat: http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/dienochlor-glyphosate/diquat-ext.html

For cattail control:

http://scnyat.cce.cornell.edu/woodpond/CCE%20SCNY%20Pond%20Cattail%20Control.pdf

 

All of the chemicals I mentioned are "safe" for both you and your fish at the prescribed levels. They are so "safe" that it is quite possible you are eating & drinking both fluoridone and diquat.

Fluoridone is approved for use in municiple water supplies so you may be drinking it.

Diquat is used to burn the foliage off of crops before harvesting so you may be eating it.

Of course agent orange, DDT, thalidomide and freon all do not have bad side effects.

Sleep well...