Cabomba Invades Long Island

[robertprice]

No, it's not a lousy Sci Fi movie. The lakes and rivers of Long Island are being clogged up with thick growths of the aquarium plant Cabomba. Cabomba was first growing on Long Island in the 1970's, but it has now become a serious invasive species, attacking as many as 20 lakes and waterways, mostly in Suffolk county. It has clogged up Lake Ronkonkoma, and the Peconic and Yaphank Rivers. It is killing off and squeezing out natural plant and animal life, and is now illegal in Suffolk County. They were contemplating importing Chinese Grass Carp to eat it, but they cost $18 each to get there and and they need about a thousand of them to eat their way through.

Cabomba is able to thrive on Long Island as most of the waterways are shallow, and it is believed to have taken root from a combination of aquarium dumping and hitching rides on boat propellers.

So if, you need a well planted tank, why pay for it? Take a ride out to the Iisland and you can get all the Cabomba your fish need for free.

[stevem]

to think i have been buying it all these years for my pond and tanks
it does grow quick in the pond

[robertprice]

I was thinking, if the Grass Carp are too expensive to import, why not let an entire shipment of Barbs loose into the Yaphank and Peconic Rivers? They will eat the Cabomba, and will all die of the cold by November, so no invasive species to worry about.

[stevem]

and yet how many pond owners buy this every year
they should be giving it out by the side of the road or donate it to societies

[robertprice]

The Long Island Aquarium Society has made a few sarcastic posts saying "Why buy Cabomba, you can come out here and get all you want for free!"

[stevem]

free is always good in my book

[robertprice]

It's gotten worse! Since they put a dam on the Carman's River, The upper lake is full of Cabomba, and the lower lake is full of Variable Leaf Milfoil. They decided on a "harvester" to try to clear it out. Sounds like they have the better part of 10 miles of it.

[StuHersh]

Got a match?

[stevem]

I have seen in florida they set off fire bombs or flares to burn them out.

[robertprice]

Now the State of Washington is being infested. So far only 1 chemical herbicide, furidone, has been shown effective in killing it, and there are as yet no biological controls. Maybe its time to bring in the Chinese Grass Carp!

[stevem]

fire always works
get some flares
it worked in florida

[robertprice]

Yes, but it's non-selective and will blow up your indigenous plants and wildlife in the process. Of course, they have so many invasive species in Florida that there may not be many indigenous species left.

[stevem]

absolutly

[robertprice]

According to AquaPlant, Texas is using triploid Grass Carp to eat it. Normal diploid ones are illegal because they can breed. Also the contact herbicide Diqual can be sprayed on the Cabomba underwater, but it must not get on other plants, or it will kill them as well.

[robertprice]

I don't think the bureaucrats who are trying to kill it care much about aquarists who want to have it in their tanks.

[Astchiefy]

Even if you think its been irradicated the smallest piece will start the cycle all over again. Bureaucrats would destroy everything to make a point.

[robertprice]

The invasive type of Cabomba is the above metioned species, not all Cabomba.

[Astchiefy]

One more invasive species top deal with.

[robertprice]

Yeah. Between Cabomba, Oscars, Lionfish, Snakeheads and Pythons, we seem to be the animal refugee capital of the world. Why isn't this happening to this extent in other countries - or - maybe it is and we just doesn't get media coverage.