Cyprinus carpio (Common carp)          

Geographical Distribution:

This fish is inhabitant of China and Russia, transplanted in the middle ages to Europe and south east Asia.

Fish: Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) | fish | fishing | angler fish | goldfish |

Morphological Characters:

Body oblong, moderately compressed. Protractile mouth with smooth simple lips. Three rows of teeth in throat. Two pairs of barbels, one pair is sometimes rudimentary. Long dorsal fin with last simple ray ossified and serrated behind. Origin of dorsal fin opposite to that of ventral. Height of body, development of fins and scales, color of body and size subject to great variation.

Feeding:

It is an omnivorous fish. It is mud-strainer feeds on phytoplankton, zooplankton and other small insects. It collects food by taking bottom mud into the mouth, filtering out digestible particles and rejecting the rest. It can be angled well with live and artificial bait.

Breeding:

Its spawning period extends from February to April. In captivity, it can be bred easily. Pairing occur during the period of spawning. Fertilization is external and exhibits no parental care. Reproduction temperature above 20 oC. Fecundity rate is about 100,000 eggs/kg body weight. Eggs are hatched within 72 hours.

Prospects in Aquaculture:

 In view of its popularity for taste, it is often cultured with other species.