Bony fish · Cypriniformes · Cyprinidae

Common Carp

Cyprinus carpio

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It has been domesticated in Europe since the Middle Ages, with the cultivated varieties descended from wild populations of the Danube.

Weight

up to 40 kg

Size

up to 1.2 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

School

Gathers in coordinated schools, typical of fish.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterOmnivore Variable activity In schools Fish Freshwater

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Fun facts

A close relative, the bigmouth buffalo, has turned out to live as long as 148 years, one of the longest-lived vertebrates ever documented.
It eats insects, larvae, water plants and organic matter from the bottom.
It is considered invasive in many regions where it has been introduced.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - bony skeleton (fish)
Habitat & environment: Slow-flowing rivers, lakes and ponds with dense vegetation across Europe and Asia; widely introduced worldwide
Birth weight: ~5-5.5 mm long at hatching
Size at birth: 5 - 5.5 mm long at hatching
Sexual maturity: Male: 2-5 years | Female: 3-6 years
Gestation / incubation: 3-4 days of egg development at 20°C
Litter / clutch size: Up to 300,000-1,000,000 eggs per female per season

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; PMC (thermal spring spawning study, lifespan comparison study); NJ DEP; Animal Diversity Web; EDDMapS; Illinois DNR; Fishipedia