Common carp
📖 Overview
Inhabits warm, deep, slow-flowing and still waters such as lowland rivers and large, well vegetated lakes . Hardy and tolerant of a wide variety of conditions but generally favor large water bodies with slow flowing or standing water and soft bottom sediments. Thrive in large turbid rivers . Most active at dusk and dawn. Both adults and juveniles feed on a variety of benthic organisms and plant material. Breeds along shores or in backwaters. Adults often undertake considerable spawning migration to suitable backwaters and flooded meadows. Larvae survive only in very warm water among shallow submerged vegetation . Occurs at depths of 200 cm; not recommended for home aquariums .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 23; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 5 - 6; Vertebrae: 36 - 37. Diagnosed from other cyprinid species in Europe by having the following characters: 2 pairs of barbels; dorsal fin with 15-20½ branched rays; caudal fin deeply emarginate . Pharyngeal teeth 1, 1, 3:3, 1,1, robust, molar-like with crown flattened or somewhat furrowed. Scales large and thick. `Wild carp ' is generally distinguished by its less stocky build with height of body 1:3.2-4.8 in standard length. Very variable in form, proportions, squamation, development of fins, and color. Caudal fin with 3 spines and 17-19 rays . Last simple anal ray bony and serrated posteriorly; 4 barbels; 17-20 branched dorsal rays; body grey to bronze . Also Ref. 3398, 3410.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Common carp is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Common carp are omnivorous. They can eat a herbivorous diet of aquatic plants, plant tubers, and seeds, but prefer to scavenge the bottom for insects, crustaceans (including zooplankton and crawfish), molluscs, benthic worms, fish eggs, and fish remains. Common carp feed throughout the day, with the most intensive feeding at night and around sunrise.
🥚 Reproduction
Spawn in marginal, shallow, weed-infested areas. A polytypic plastic species with a marked tendency to produce `varieties' and `races' in response to selective breeding and environmental influences. Carp is polygamous. A spawning female is usually followed by several males. Under tropical conditions carp breeds throughout the year. It is a seasonal spawner in temperate waters . Females are known to lay more than a million eggs in a season; breeds at a temperature range of 15° C to 20°C; eggs hatch in 4 days . Obligatory plant spawners . "Adults often make considerable spawning migrations to suitable backwaters and flooded meadows. Individual females spawn with a few males in dense vegetation. The sticky eggs are attached to water plants or other submerged objects. Reproductive success is restricted to years when the water level starts rising in May and when high temperatures and flooding of terrestrial vegetation last for a long period during May and June" .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.5 - 9.0; dH range: 10 - 15; potamodromous ; depth range 0 - 29 m . Subtropical; 3°C - 35°C ; 54°N - 34°N, 12°E - 74°E
🌿 Ecology
a variety of benthic organisms and plant material
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🚨 Invasive Species Impact
- aquatic vegetation destruction
- increased turbidity
- sediment resuspension
- competition with native fish
- degraded water quality in reservoirs
- reduced recreational fishery for game species
Commercial harvest, targeted removal in high-value waters, exclusion barriers in tributaries.
Widely established; management focused on containment in sensitive habitats.
References: Compiled from IUCN Global Invasive Species Database, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database, and CABI Invasive Species Compendium.
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Buglemouth · Calico Carp · Common Carp · Common carp, European carp, King carp, Mirror carp · Deniz Carp · Edible Carp · Eurasian Carp · European carp · German Carp · Great Carp · Leather carp · Mirror carp · Mud Sucker · Nishiki-koi · Wild Common Carp · Yellow Carp · carp · common carp, carp · Aischgrund Carp · Amur Carp · Amur Wild Carp · Asian Carp · Blubber Lips · Chinese Carp · Euro · Grass Carp · Koi · Koi Carp · Scale Carp · Wild Carp |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | الكارب العادي · شبوط أوروبي · شبوط شائع |
| 🌍AZE | Avropa sazan |
| 🌍BEL | Sazan · звычайны карп |
| 🌍BOS | Obični šaran |
| 🌍BUL | Див шаран · шаран |
| 🌍CES | Kapr obecný · kapr obecný dunajský |
| 🌍CYM | cerpyn · Carp |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Almindelig karpe · Karpe · Karpen |
| 🇩🇪German | Donau-Schwarzmeer Karpfen · Europäischer Karpfen · Eutopäischer Karpfen · Gemeine Karpfen · Karpfen · Schuppenkarpfen · Spiegelkarpfen · Wildkarpfen |
| 🌍ELL | Γριβάδι · Κυπρίνος |
| 🌍EST | Karpkala |
| 🌍FAS | کپور معمولی |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Euraasian karppi · karppi |
| 🇫🇷French | Carpe commune, Carpat, Carpeau, Escarpo, Kerpaille · Carpe cuir · Carpe miroir · carpe · carpe commune |
| 🌍HEB | קרפיון מצוי |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Šaran · Obični šaran |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | Európai ponty · ponty |
| 🌍HYE | Ծածան |
| 🌍IND | Ikan Mas · Ikan karper |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Carpa comune · carpa |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Koi · アナトリア鯉 · コイ · ヨーロッパゴイ · 欧州ゴイ · 鯉 |
| 🌍KAT | კობრი |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 가죽잉어 · 데니즈잉어 · 아나톨리아잉어 · 유럽잉어 · 이스라엘잉어 · 잉어 · 향어 |
| 🌍LAV | Eiropas karpa · Sazāns |
| 🌍LIT | Paprastasis karpis · karpis |
| 🌍MKD | Обичен крап |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Karper: onbepaald · karper |
| 🌍NNO | karpe · speilkarpe · koikarpe · lærkarpe · skjellkarpe |
| 🌍NOB | karpe · koikarpe · lærkarpe · skjellkarpe · speilkarpe |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Vanlig karpe |
| 🇵🇱Polish | karp |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Carpa · Carpa-comum · Carpa-espelho · Carpa-europeia · Carpa-húngara · Sarmão |
| 🌍RON | Crapul comun · crap |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Зеркальный карп · Карп · Карп обыкновенный · или обыкновенный карп · короб · сазан |
| 🌍SLK | Európsky kapor · kapor obyčajný |
| 🌍SLV | Navadni krap · krap |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Carpa común europea · Carpa espejo · carpa · carpa común |
| 🌍SQI | krapi · krapuliq · lakeç · pendëkuqi |
| 🌍SRP | Европейски шаран |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | karp · spegelkarp · fjällkarp · koi · läderkarp · radkarp |
| 🌍TAM | கண்ணாடிக் கெண்டை |
| 🌍THA | ปลาไน · ปลาไนธรรมดา · ปลาไนเดนิซ |
| 🌍TUR | Sazan balığı · sazan |
| 🌍UKR | Звичайний сазан · Ко́роп звича́йний · Короп · Короп дзеркальний · Короп європейський |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 歐亞鯉 · 歐洲鯉 · 西鯉 · 鲤鱼 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpio carpio gibbosus | Kessler | 1856 | Heterotypic |
| Carpio vulgaris | Rapp | 1854 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus acuminatus | Heckel & Kner | 1858 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus alepidotus | Bloch | 1784 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus angulatus | Heckel | 1843 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus atrovirens | Richardson | 1846 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus bithynicus | Richardson | 1857 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio anatolicus | Hankó | 1925 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio aralensis | Spiczakow | 1935 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus carpio brevicirri | Misik | 1958 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus carpio carpio | - | - | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio caspicus | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio communis | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio elongatus | Walecki | 1863 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio fluviatilis | Pravdin | 1945 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio gibbosus | Kessler | 1856 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus carpio haematopterus | Martens | 1876 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus carpio lacustris | Fitzinger | 1832 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio longicirri | Misik | 1958 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus carpio monstrosus | Walecki | 1863 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio oblongus | Antipa | 1909 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus carpio specularis | Lacepède | 1803 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus chinensis | Basilewsky | 1855 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus cirrosus | Schaeffer | 1760 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus conirostris | Temminck & Schlegel | 1846 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus coriaceus | Lacepède | 1803 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus elatus | Bonaparte | 1836 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus festetitsii | Bonaparte | 1845 | Heterotypic |
| Cyprinus hungaricus | Heckel | 1837 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus macrolepidotus | Schinz | 1822 | Synonym |
… and 14 more synonyms
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Common carp.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 609 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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