Cyprinus carpio (fish)

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Taxonomic name: Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 1758 Synonyms: Carpio carpio gibbosus (Kessler, 1856), Carpio flavipinna Valenciennes, 1842, Carpio vulgaris Rapp, 1854, Cyprinus acuminatus Heckel & Kner, 1858, Cyprinus acuminatus Richardson, 1846, Cyprinus angulatus Heckel, 1843, Cyprinus atrovirens Richardson, 1846, Cyprinus bithynicus Richardson, 1857, Cyprinus carpio anatolicus Hanko, 1924, Cyprinus carpio aralensis Spiczakow, 1935, Cyprinus carpio brevicirri Misik, 1958, Cyprinus carpio elongatus Walecki, 1863, Cyprinus carpio fluviatilis Pravdin, 1945, Cyprinus carpio longicirri Misik, 1958, Cyprinus carpio monstrosus Walecki, 1863, Cyprinus carpio oblongus Antipa, 1909, Cyprinus chinensis Basilewsky, 1855, Cyprinus conirostris Temminck & Schlegel, 1846, Cyprinus festetitsii Bonaparte, 1845, Cyprinus flamm Richardson, 1846, Cyprinus fossicola Richardson, 1846, Cyprinus haematopterus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846, Cyprinus melanotus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846, Cyprinus nordmannii Valenciennes, 1842, Cyprinus sculponeatus Richardson, 1846, Cyprinus thermalis Heckel, 1843, Cyprinus tossicole Elera, 1895, Cyprinus vittatus Valenciennes, 1842 Common names: carp (English), carpa (Spanish), carpat (French-France), carpe (French-Switzerland), carpe (French-Canada), carpe commune (French-France), carpeau (French-France), carpo (French-France), cerpyn (Welsh), ciortan (Romanian), ciortanica (Romanian), ciortocrap (Romanian), ciuciulean (Romanian), common carp (English), crap (Romanian), crapcean (Romanian), cyprinos (Greek), escarpo (French-France), Europäischer Karpfen (German), European carp (English), German carp (English), grass carp (English-Russian Federation), grivadi (Greek), ikan mas (Malay-Indonesia), kapoor-e-maamoli (Farsi), kapor (Slovak), kapr obecný (Czech), karp (Afrikaans), karp (Polish), karp (Russian), karp (Swedish), karp (Ukrainian), karp dziki a. sazan (Polish), karpa (Tagalog-Philippines), karpar (Icelandic), karpe (Danish), Karpe (Norwegian), karpen (German), karper (Dutch), karpfen (German), karpion (Hebrew), karppi (Finnish), kerpaille (French), koi (English), koi carp (English), korop (Ukrainian), krap (Macedonian), krapi (Albanian), kyprinos (Greek), læderkarpe (Danish), lauk mas (Malay), leather carp (English), leekoh (Malay), lei ue (Cantonese-Hong Kong), mas massan (Malay), mirror carp (English), olocari (Romanian), pa nai (Lao), pba ni (Lao), pla nai (Thai), ponty (Hungarian), punjabe gad (Kashmiri-India), rata pethiya (Sinhalese), saran (Romanian), Saran (Serbian), sarmão (Portuguese), sazan (Russian), sazan baligi (Turkish), scale carp (English), sharan (Bulgarian), skælkarpe (Danish), soneri masha (Marathi), spejlkarpe (Danish), sulari (Romanian), suloi (Romanian), tikure (Amharic-Ethiopia), trey carp samahn (Khmer), trey kap (Khmer), ulucari (Romanian), weißfische (German), wild carp (English), wildkarpfen (German) Organism type: fish The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) has been introduced as a food and ornamental fish into temperate freshwaters throughout the world. It is considered a pest because of its abundance and its tendency to reduce water clarity and destroy and uproot the aquatic vegetation used as habitat by a variety of species. Description The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are reported to grow to over one metre in length, and about 40kg in weight. In Australia, this species reaches 10kg, but 4-5kg is more usual, (Australian Museum Online, 2003). "The Carp is recognised by its small eyes, thick lips with two barbels at each corner of the mouth, large scales and strongly serrated spines in the dorsal and anal fins. The colour is variable, but often olive green to silvery grey dorsally, fading to silvery yellow on the belly." (Australian Museum Online, 2003) "Adults reach 1220mm TL (Lee et al., 1980). Over their natural range, carp live up to 15 years, with reports of individuals living up to 24 years.(Gromov, 1979; Balon, 1995). Males are known to live longer than females (Balon, 1995)." (Aguirre and Poss, 2000) "Dorsal spines (total): 3-4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-23; Anal spines: 2-3; Anal soft rays: 5-6; Vertebrae : 36-37. 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 colour. Caudal fin with 3 spines and 17-19 rays. Last simple anal ray bony and serrated posteriorly; 4 barbles; 17-20 branched dorsal rays; body grey to bronze." (FishBase, 2003) Similar Species Carassius auratus, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cyprinidae More Occurs in: estuarine habitats, lakes, water courses, wetlands Habitat description Trautman (1981) found common carp (Cyprinus carpio) most abundant in streams enriched with sewage or with substantial runoff from agricultural land, but he reported it to be rare or absent in clear, cold waters, and streams of high gradient, (Nico, 1999). Benthopelagic; non-migratory; freshwater; brackish; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 10.0 - 15.0, temperate; 3 - 32°C; 60°N - 40°N, (FishBase, 2003). Cyprinus carpio prefers water bodies with stagnant and slowly flowing waters with sand and/ or silt bottoms with shell incorporations, (Kuznetsov, Aminova and Kuliev, 2002). General impacts The feeding habits of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) where they are constantly stirring up the substrate, mean that they can greatly increase the turbidity of the water (NIWA, 2003). This makes waterways unattractive, reduces the abundance of aquatic plants, and can render the water unsuitable for swimming or drinking even by livestock, (NIWA, 2003). In some places, koi have caused so much damage to waterways that vast amounts of money and effort have been spent trying to eradicate them; unfortunately these have largely been unsuccessful, (NIWA, 2003). This feeding behaviour also destroys rooted aquatic plants that provide habitat for native fish species and food for waterfowl (Dentler 1993)." (Nico, 1999) "McCarraher and Gregory (1970) wrote that in 1894 there was documentation that Sacramento perch, Archoplites interruptus were becoming more scarce because carp were destroying their spawning grounds." (Nico, 1999). Experiments showed that carp increased turbidity through the resuspension of bottom sediments, caused the loss of macrophyte cover due to low water clarity and uprooting, and released phosphorus normally locked up within bottom sediments and aquatic macrophytes. They also lowered the abundance of macroinvertebrates by predation and loss of habitat. (Parkos & Wahl, 2000) Bellrichard (1996) found that alterations in macrophyte biomass are due to direct effects of common carp. In their review of literature, Richardson et al. (1995) concluded that common carp has had noted adverse effects on biological systems including destruction of vegetated breeding habitats used by both fish and birds. Uses Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are frequently cultured and are of great commercial value as a food fish both over their native and introduced range, (Aguirre and Poss, 2000). Notes Hartel et al. (1996) noted that more than 20,000 common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were killed by a bacterial disease over a short period of time in the Merrimack River in the late 1970s, (Nico, 1999). "By reducing submerged vegetation and water clarity, common carp create conditions under which other fish, especially large predators, may suffer. Potential reduction in predator recruitment combined with high fecundity, fast growth rate, wide physiological tolerance, and omnivorous diet result in the common carp having the ability to spread into nearly any aquatic habitat." (Parkos & Wahl, 2000) "Under experimental conditions, feeding rates and growth rates of fingerlings, decline at higher salinity's (Wang, et al., 1997). However, reports exist of this species adapting to brackish waters over portions of its native range (Kuliyev and Agayarova, 1984)." (Aguirre and Poss, 2000). Cyprinus carpio has been introduced to over 140 countries, 18 of which reported adverse ecological impacts, (Casal, pers.comm., March 7 2003). Common carps are active swimmers that can leap obstacles up to 1 metre high and negotiate torrential flows (Ref. 2906, in FishBase, 2003). Carp can typically be found in small schools, although larger carp often lead a solitary existence (Smith, 1991. In Chumchal, 2002). Geographical range Native range: The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is probably native to Asia, Known introduced range: It has been introduced so widely over so many centuries that its precise origins are uncertain, (NIWA, 2003). Prior to human influence, the common carp was found in the Black, Caspian and Aral Sea drainages, east into Siberia and China and west as far as the Danube River (Balon, 1995. In Aguirre and Poss, 2000). It has been introduced as a food and ornamental fish, into temperate freshwaters, throughout the world, ( Aguirre and Poss, 2000). Today it occurs on every continent except Antarctica, (NIWA, 2003). Introduction pathways to new locations Aquaculture: It has been introduced as a food fish, into temperate freshwaters, throughout the world. (Aguirre and Poss, 2000) For ornamental purposes: It has been introduced as an ornamental fish, into temperate freshwaters, throughout the world. (Aguirre and Poss, 2000) Other: Introduced into many places for angling/sport. (FishBase, 2003) Local dispersal methods Boat: Fishing and Angling Escape from confinement: Records from the early 1880s in America indicate that common carp stocked in farm ponds frequently escaped into open waters as a result of dam breaks or flood events (Smiley 1886. In Nico, 1999). For ornamental purposes (local): In America colorful varieties of common carp (i.e., nishikigoi or koi) are kept as pets in garden ponds and some have been introduced to ponds and public water bodies (Balon 1995. In Nico, 1999). Other (local): More recently introductions of common carp have resulted because of the use of juvenile carp as bait fish (Nico, 1999). People sharing resources (local): Carp have also been widely illegally introduced throughout much of south-eastern Australia since the late 1960's. (Unmack, 2003) Transportation of habitat material (local): By 1885, the U.S. Fish Commission was actively stocking lakes and rivers throughout the country, often the fish were released from railroad tank cars at bridge crossing directly into streams, (Nico, 1999). Management information Concern over the potential harm that the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) could have on native fishes and waterfowl has led to attempts to remove them using water-level control, toxicants, seining, electrofishing, angling, and barriers, (Parkos & Wahl, 2000). However, carp are able to quickly recolonize open systems, making removal schemes a costly, high-effort, ongoing process, (Parkos & Wahl, 2000). Once established in a water body, common carp are difficult and expensive to eliminate (e.g., Cahoon 1953. in Nico, 1999). "To be successful, control methods need to be cost-effective and have minimal impact on other fish (Bonneau 1999). Other factors that need to be considered in selecting a method include size of the water body, water temperature and quality, public opinion, ownership of water, and environmental concerns" (Wydoski and Wiley 1999 in Baldry, no date) Please see management information for details on control options. Reproduction "Warmer waters are required for spawning. Over their natural range Balon (1995) reported 17 °C as the lower limit for spawning. Osipova (1979) reported spawning of wild specimens in the Kubyshev Reservoir, at 15 °C. Over portions of its native range, the carp may be sexually mature as early as by the end of its first year (Kuliyev & Agayarova, 1984). According to Balon (1995) wild carp are portional spawners, spawning two or three times over a 14 day interval. Mating groups of one female and several males swim actively before spawning. Eggs vary from 1.24-1.42mm in diameter and are yellowish green in colour (Moroz, 1968; Linhart et al. 1995)." (Aguirre and Poss, 2000) Common carp have a relative fecundity of 100,000 to 300,000 eggs per kilogram with reports of as many as 360,000 to 599,000 eggs per female, (Aguirre and Poss, 2000). "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 (Ref. 185, in FishBase, 2003). 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." (FishBase, 2003) This species has been nominated as among 100 of the "World's Worst" invaders Reviewed by: Major update under progress Ben Smith CRC for Freshwater Ecology School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. The University of Adelaide Adelaide, South Australia. Australia. Compiled by: IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) To contribute information, please contact Shyama Pagad. Last Modified: Thursday, 16 November 2006