Safety of Collected Milfoil?

[jewett]

I collected a bucket of introduced invasive Eurasian milfoil yesterday for use in my newt tanks. However along the shore of the reservoir where I collected the plants was a greenish film floating on the water surface. It may have been an algea but when I got home I googled the reservoir and learned that in the past the Utah state government has added herbicides to this reservoir in an effort to control the milfoil. This is a popular fishing spot and the water and milfoil had lots of invertebrates too. And I don't know that it was a chemical forming the film (the most recent herbicide treatment info I could find on line was dated 2009) and even if it was I assume its safe for fish and other critters. But I wanted some advice from my fellow forum members - does the milfoil sound safe for my newts? Any recommendations from any one on steps I can take to insure safety?
Heather

 

[asfouts]

I had the same questions about the plants I was pulling from a nearby lake to keep in my tanks... The herbicide used to control eurasian milfoil in Washington is called fluridone (brand name Sonar and Whitecap) and I read from a site that was really helpful with the same question. I will provide a summary and link if you are interested in reading further

The strict guidelines put on by the government make it so that this chemical is destructive to a majority of the controlled species, yet completely harmless to other native plants' photosynthetic processes and organisms.

Summary: "Aquatic organisms will have only limited exposure to fluridone in the water as a result of dispersion, dilution and microbial degradation of the chemical into carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and organic acids, even during an extended application period. No adverse impacts have been identified which are expected to result from the presence of fluridone at or below the NYS acceptable residual level of 50 ppb and the EPA acceptable residual level of 150 ppb for potable water (NYSDEC, 1994)."

here is the link I got the info from:
Fluridone: herbicide treatment FAQ - Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County

I don't know if this specific chemical is used in the specific reservoir you are talking about, but I hope it helps

Just to clarify though, I am not pulling Eurasian Milfoil because I am aware that in Washington even transporting this plant is illegal

I think they are safe for your newts!

 

[ken123]

General Information about Eurasian Watermilfoil

is this the same thing?

 

[jewett]

Thank you for the information and link! I tried to research but maybe someone knows- is fluridone green in color? I'm wondering the likely hood of the green film I saw being fluridone.