| Family |
 |
Ciprinidae
Species (popular name): Carp
(scientific name):Cyprinus carpio (L)
| | |
| |
| Name in the main European languages |
|
I: Carpa
|
F: Carpe |
E: Carpa |
D: Karpfen | |
| |
| Max. size |
Kg:20
cm: 130 |
| |
| Period of reproduction |
| Spring/Summer – from May to July |
| |
| Description |
| A large-size fish, in its wild form (Common or Queen Carp) it has an arched dark-coloured body with dark-coloured sides and bright-yellowish stomach. Fish-breeders selected a few species due their rapid growth to increase the production of flesh. Among these we find the koi carp or the Galicia carp, with few large scales on the back and along the sides, or the so-called "Leather carp", a variety with nearly no scales. Its mouth is small and protractile, with thick yellow lips and two barbels. |
| |
| Biology |
| This certainly is the most widely known fish in the Cyprinidae family and one of the most popular fish in the temperate-warm freshwaters in the world. It lives in stagnant or slow-flowing waters rich in vegetation at a temperature between 15-25°C. It reaches sexual maturity after 2-4 years, males mature before females. Reproduction takes place at a temperature of over 18°C on aquatic plants where the carp lays 150-200,000 sticky eggs per kg of live weight, which adhere to the vegetation. The eggs hatch in 4-5 days, giving birth to a very small fry (4-5 mm long) that reabsorbs the yolk sac. The carp is omnivorous, although it prefers bottom organisms, which it manages to capture by digging in the mud, even at a 10 cm depth. A rustic rapid-growing fish, it may reach the age of thirty; only females, however, as males live far less. |
| |
| Fishing |
| Due to the remarkable sizes it may reach, the carp is highly appreciated by sports fishers, who practice this kind of fishing in summer. As it is a suspicious and wary fish, fish feeding is necessary to attract it to the bait. Its flesh, tender and fat, is quite good and therefore is an important economical source. |
| Acquaculture |
| Unlike trout-breeding, carp-breeding has very ancient origins. The carp, native of Asia, was already reared in China 4,000 years ago; a treatise on carp-breeding was written by the Chinese historian Fan-Li in 475 B.C.. Also the Romans, responsible for its introduction in Italy, reared it with positive results. It certainly is one of the most common warm-water fish in breeding-plants all over the world. In Europe, carp-breeding is popular everywhere and is a source of great economical interest. In Italy it has never been much successful, both due to the lack of suitable areas, a part from the Po Valley, and to the scarce interest of consumers in this species. The national production in 2001, in fact, was only ...... tons. |
| Curiosity |
| A few varieties of vivid-coloured ornamental carps were selected, which, sought by aquarium lovers and commercially known as "koi carp", may reach very high prices. |
| |
|
| |
![API ONLINE - Associazione Piscicoltori Italiani [ HOME ]](img/logo.gif "API ONLINE - Associazione Piscicoltori Italiani [ HOME ]"){kind=logo}
