1. Common Carp Fish
Firas Abdul Malik
M.Sc. Fish Biology
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2. Introduction
Common Carp - Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus (1758) is a
fresh water fish and it belongs to the Carp group. Its
original home is China. In China, this fish has been
cultured in ponds since many centuries. Today this fish
has been distributed not only in the countries of Asia
but throughout the world. The Common Carp is the
most domesticated fish. Carp are a very strong and
robust fish and can cope with many different types of
water and temperatures. This adaptability accounts for
their survivability when you consider all the different
environments in which they are being kept or have
thrived in, worldwide. They can survive temperatures
ranging from (1-30)°C. (Chumchal, 2009).
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3. Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Cyprinus
Species: Cyprinus carpio
Source: Chumchal, (2009).
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4. Comparative between cultured fishes
Table 1: survival rates for common farmed fishes
Type Survival rate Comparative growths of fishes
Carp ±7.1 95% 1000.0
900.0
Catfish 77.6% ±12.1 800.0 710.4 729.3
Final average wts (g)
700.0
543.4
Tilapia 57.5% ±38.9 600.0
500.0
400.0
300.0
200.0
Source: Chumchal, (2009). 100.0
0.0
Catfish carp tilapia
Fish species
Figure 1: comparative growth of farmed fishes
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5. Table 2: The ratio of carp against the farmed fish in
the world.
Fish %
Carp > 50%
Tilapia > 5%
Salmon >5%
Shrimp > 3%
Trout > 2%
Catfish > 5%
Other > 30%
fish
*Seabass, Seabream, Turbot, Tuna, Greater
Amberjack, Striped seabass,
Source: Boschung & Mayden, (2004)
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6. Table 3. Length and weight of carps
by species.
Species Length Weight
Common carp 120 cm 60 Kg
90 cm
56 cm 80 Kg
Silver carp 190 cm 35 Kg
80 cm
61 cm
Grass carp 160 cm 45 Kg
100 cm
49 cm
Black carp 180 cm 70 Kg
Bighead carp 150 cm 40 Kg
*(maximum length recorded in Iraq)
*(maximum length recorded in Fish
Breeding Project in Dohuk University)
*(maximum weight recorded in Mosul Dam)
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Source: Chumchal, (2009), fish researches center-Baghdad & Fish Project Archive.

7. Table 4. Habitat and diet preferences of Carps.
Species Temp. Salinity Oxygen Diet
Common carp 1-30°C 2.5 0.5 Zooplankton, phytoplankton,
crustaceans, worms, insect
larvae, seeds and algae.
Silver carp 6-28°C 4 0.5 Plankton
Grass carp 10-26°C 14 0.5 Vegetation & invertebrates
Black carp 25-30°C 2 Benthic invertebrates,
zooplankton & small fish.
Bighead carp 4-26°C 8 0.5 Plankton
Source: Aitkin et al.(2008)
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8. Table 5. Age at sexual maturity and longevity by
species of carp.
Species Sexual Maturity Longevity
Carp (male) 2-4 years 50-70 years
1 year
Carp (female) 3-5 years
1-2 years
Silver 3–4 years 20 years
Grass 4–7 years 14 years
Black 6–11 years 16 years
Bighead (male) 2 years 18 years
Bighead 3 years
(female)
*(Sexual maturity in worm climates like Iraq) Source: Molnar, (2002)
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9. Table 6. Carp reproduction requirements.
Time of Year April - June
Temperature Range 13-21oC
Water Depth <1.8 m
NH3 0.049-0.099ppm
pH 6.8 - 7.5
Current < 20 cm/sec
Egg type Adhere to the sides of aquatic plants
Number of offspring 300000 Eggs /Season (Average)
Time to hatching 4 days (high)
length Fry 6-7 mm, Fingerling 25-30 mm
Stocking Density 200-600 Fry/ m2, 5-10 Fingerling/ m2
Survival Rate Fry 40-70%, Fingerling 80%
Source: Weimin ,(2005).
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10. The food Ingredients
Table 7: Main food for the different age stages of carp.
Age stage Diet
Fry Zooplankton,
phytoplankton,
crustaceans.
Juvenile Worms, insect
larvae, seeds, algae
Adults Worms, insect
larvae, seeds, algae
Notes: opportunistic feeders,
utilize any available food
source, sucking bottom
sediments while feeding.
Video 1: Showing the feeding habits of carp. Source: Chumchal, (2009).
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11. Common carp types:
Cyprinus carpio communis
Scale carp: Has regular concentrate scales.
(McCrimmon,1968;Grattidge,2006).
Figure 4. Common Carp (Scaled variety). Source: Froese & Pauly. (2002).
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12. Common carp types:
Cyprinus carpio specularis
Mirror carp: Has a large flashed scales randomly
running along the side of the body in several rows.
(McCrimmon,1968;Grattidge,2006).
Figure 5. Common Carp (Mirror variety). Source: Froese & Pauly. (2002).
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13. Common carp types:
Cyprinus carpio coiaceus
Leather carp: Has few scales on the back and a
thick skin. (McCrimmon,1968;Jen,2003).
Figure 6. Common Carp (Leather variety). Source: Lougheed, et al.( 1998)
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14. Common carp types:
Cyprinus carpio regularis
Line carp: a regular single mid-lateral row of scales
and elsewhere none or only a few scales.
(McCrimmon,1968;Jen,2003).
Figure 7. Common Carp (Linear variety). Source: Froese & Pauly. (2002).
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15. Common carp types:
Cyprinus carpio koi
Ornamental carp :Nishikigoi strains were developed
in Japan over the last two centuries (1850-1860),
and may be red, white, gold or black. (Coad, 2005).
Figure 8. Common Carp (Koi variety). Source: Froese & Pauly. (2002).
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16. Shiro-Utsuri Sanke Tancho- Kohaku Asagi Hi-utsuri
Sanke
Shiro bekko Kujaku Tancho Shusui Unique Goshiki
Figure 9.Preferred variants of Japanese koi carp
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Source: Nelson, (1984).

17. Figure 10. Growth curves of the carp groups. Source: Molnar, (2002)
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18. Conclusions
1. Carps are tolerant and hardy fish that thrive in a wide variety of aquatic
habitats.
2. Common carp are an important food and ornamental fish.
3. Carps are an important food source, especially in countries or regions
with lower financial resources.
4. Currently the largest (2/3 of all fish production is carp).
5. Since living standards are generally increasing throughout the world,
carp culture may increase in importance.
6. Provide Important protein source in many countries at affordable
prices.
7. The oldest form of aquaculture in the known world is carp culture.
Common carp have been first fish species cultured in China about 500
BC.
8. The common carp was introduced in Iraq by unintentional release in
1955.
9. Over the last two centuries, ornamental strains (called “Koi”) were
developed in Japan.
10. Common carp populate slow-moving waters, such as human-made
impoundments and lakes.
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19. Video 2: Showing the baby duck feed the carp (Nishiki-Goi, Koi). Source:
Molnar, (2002) 19

20. Video 3: Showing that the Koi Carp came out of the water just for getting
food. 20

21. References
Aitkin, K. J., S. Lohr, P. Heimowitz, and M. Hill.2008. “Columbia River
Asian Carp Risk Evaluation." Report. US Fish and Wildlife
Service.www.asiancarp.org/Documents/AsianCarp_PNWRiskEvalu
ation_022208.pdf.
Boschung , P., B. Mayden, 2004. "Effect of Common Carp (Cyprinus
carpio) on Aquatic Restorations" (On-line). Accessed 2 April 2005
at http://www.hort.agri.umn.edu/h5015/00papers/baldry.htm.
Chamchal, M. 2009. Cyprinus carpio on line, Animal Diversity Web.
Accessed May 16,2010 at
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/C
yprinus_carpio. html.
Coad, A. 2005, The Effect of Carp on a Small Lake: Carp as a
Dominant. Ecology, 10: 271-274.
Froese, R., D. Pauly. 2002. "Fishbase: Species summary for Cyprinus
carpio" (On-line). Accessed 2 April 2002 at http://
www.fishbase.org.
Grattidge, Julian. 2006. Northern Monkeys Forum topic: English or
Foreign?
URL:http://www.northwestcarp.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?
t=100&page=2 (Accessed May7, 2007). 21

22. References
Jen. 2003. List of Strains for Cyprinus carpio carpio. URL:
http://wap.fishbase.org/physiology/strainlist.cfm?ID=1450
(Accessed May 6, 2007).
Lougheed, V., B. Crosbie, P. Chow-Fraser. 1998. Predictions on the
Effect of Common Carp (-Cyprinus carpio-) Exclusion on Water
Quality, Zooplankton, and Submergent Macrophytes in a Great
Lakes Wetland. Can. J. Fish. Aquai. Sci, 55: 1189-1197.
McCrimmon, H. 1968. Carp in Canada. Fisheries Research Board of
Canada.
Molnar, K. 2002. Differences between the European carp (Cyprinus
carpio carpio) and the colored carp (Cyprinus carpio
haematopterus) in susceptibity to Thelohanellus nikolskii
(Myxosporea) infection. Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1581
Budapest, P.O. Box 18, Hungary. Acta Veterinaria Hungarica 50
(1), pp. 51–57
Nelson, J. 1984. Fishes of the World. New York: John Wiley and Sons,
2nd ed..
Weimin M. 2005 June, Main academic guide for freshwater fishes
culture. Lecture Outline. For 2005 IFF Course, fifth edition.pp:103.
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