Treatment of lake eutrophication is shifting from pollution control towards restoration and management of lake ecosystems in China, so it has drawn much attention of the non-traditional biomanipulation based on the role of silver carp and bighead carp in lakes. However, there are both successful and unsuccessful cases over the use of silver carp and bighead carp in controlling nuisance algae, which has led to the discrepancy over the feasibility of its usage. In this paper, we analyzed many studies that tested the effects of silver carp and bighead carp on algal production, pinpointed out the possible causes leading to the different results in these case studies, and tried to reach a consensus over the use of silver carp and bighead carp to control algal over growing in eutrophic lakes. We hope this effort could play a role in helping the environmental management and protection of lakes in China.