Eliminate Dragonflies In Pond

I caught 12 Leptolucania ommata fry out of my pond this summer. In two days, I was down to 4 because I also caught a couple dragonfly nymphs. I probably lost many Bluespotted Sunfish and Northern Longear Sunfish fry to larger nymphs.

I would like to put one animal into my pond early in the spring so this animal can eat all the dragonfly nymphs. Then I could remove this animal and add Red Cherry Shrimp to eat the newly hatched aquatic insects.

Is there a northern crayfish that becomes active early in the spring that will do the job?

Any other suggestions?

H2O2 blast instead?

My pond is surrounded by native Big Bluestem prairie grass so a net cover would not work.

I was thinking about two same sex bullheads (7 to 10 inch long) would take care of unwanted guests then you can just remove the bullheads and put your favorite fishes back into the pond. Crayfish's too messy and probably will breed in your pond and produced more nightmares for your fishes during sleeping time. Even single crayfish will not eat all dragonfly, crayfish eat whatever what's in pond so its slow process. Isn't red cherry shrimp a tropical non native shrimp and I thought they were algae eater shrimp? I think ghost shrimp or dwarf crayfish will do job for eating newly hatched insects instead of huge fercious crayfish with killer claws.

Thanks,
I will think more about a fish doing the job.

I tried a web search for fish that eat dragonflies; this is hard because 'diet' and 'predator' can mean eat or being eaten.

I may look for a dragonfly forum.

Copper dosing?

Maybe put up a bunch of bird houses surrounding the pond, too.

there are enough species of dragonflies with varied enough phenology that you can expect them to keep finding your pond through the duration of the growing season and laying eggs.

if you can somehow manage it, a fine mesh cover would be best deterrent. even then, i seem to remember that some species broadcast eggs on the wing, in which case the eggs would just drop right through the mesh and into the water.

how about separating the pond itself with a mesh barrier that is too fine for fry to cross, then adding a predator to one side? small nymphs might cross and be eaten by the predator, while fry wil be protected.

there are enough species of dragonflies with varied enough phenology that you can expect them to keep finding your pond through the duration of the growing season and laying eggs.

if you can somehow manage it, a fine mesh cover would be best deterrent. even then, i seem to remember that some species broadcast eggs on the wing, in which case the eggs would just drop right through the mesh and into the water.

how about separating the pond itself with a mesh barrier that is too fine for fry to cross, then adding a predator to one side? small nymphs might cross and be eaten by the predator, while fry wil be protected.

Now, THAT's a good first post.

As opposed to, "Gimme D Fish"

If you want to control dragonfly nymphs, it is going to be hard to find something that is going to munch the nymphs without deciding the sunfish are tastier.