Killing Freshwater Clams?

[Reginald]

We have a man made dog training ponds for retriever training, there is a water inlet as well as an outlet. The past couple of years there has been a HUGE influx of fresh water clams, most are in the 3-5" size, in our ponds. If they were left alone and unopened by egrets or muskrats they would most likely not be an issue. Unfortunately, these 3-5" empty shells are all over the shore lines and just below the the water surface. Now they have started to injure dogs by cutting pads and much worse. Last year around this time we had a dog have his pad sliced so deep & badly it severed 2 tendons, dislocated 2 toes and cut an artery to the point the owner thought he might not make it to the vet before the dog bled out.

So with all that being said the question I have is this, is there a way to rid your ponds of Freshwater Clams? If so, how would one go about doing so?

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[mrsclem]

Can you put screens over the inlet?

 

[Jhn]

Rid the pond of all fish. Freshwater clams/mussels when their larvae / glochidia are released must find fish hosts to attach to, so eliminate fish and the clams life cycle will be interrupted.

 

[JamieB]

Increase plants that help clean the water. Start cleaning the water. Reduce what they have to eat.

 

[Stephen Noble]

It sounds like your ponds are only for dog training use rather than for fish or plants. Is that correct? You mentioned a water inlet so are the ponds fed by a creek? Clams are filter feeders so eliminating their source of food will quickly solve your problem. One way to do that is to not allow stream or creek water to flow into your ponds.

 

[Somethin' Fishy]

Sorry to hear about the injuries to the dogs. Perhaps dredging to remove the remaining clams and empty shells. Then filters or screens at the inlet to prevent new drifters.