China, Japan, Europe, and Russia. Common carp is the most widespread of all culture species. Common carp was introduced in the U.S.A. in 1877 as a food fish.

HABITS:

Carp are omnivores that eat aquatic insects, rotifers, copepods or plants in ponds and lakes. They often compete for food with native freshwater fish. Generally they are found in warm water with aquatic vegetation. However, they are adaptable and are found in lakes, ponds, sloughs, and reservoirs in turbid or clear waters.

SPAWNING:

Male carp mature at 2 years of age; females at 3 year of age. In temperate regions they spawn once a year, in the spring when water temperatures are at 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit. They can spawn 5 to 6 times per year in the tropics. The female releases adhesive eggs that are fertilized by male and attach to vegetation. In culture, hand stripping, tank spawning, and pond spawning can be successfully employed.

GROWTH:

Common carp average 20 years of age, but fish as old as 70-80 years have been reported. They can grow up to 35-40 lbs./fish with and average of 10-15 lbs./fish with a length of up to 2 feet.

USES:

Used as food and sport fish in Europe and Asia and sometimes as sport fish in U.S.A. People in the U.S.A generally consider them a "trash" fish. However, they have become somewhat popular as baitfish and as stocking fish for fee fishing ponds.

CULTURE:

Carp can be raised in pond culture, or pens in ponds with limited circulation or in-flowing water. In China and India they are often used in polyculture with other Asian or Indian carps. Common carp has not caught on as a food fish in the U.S.A., however when properly prepared it is an enjoyable meal. In Israel, common carp is cultured intensively in monoculture ponds or in polyculture with other species like silver carp and tilapia. "Koi" a popular brightly colored common carp developed in China is highly prized and there may be excellent profits if high-quality show fish can be cultured in the U.S.A.

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