Common Carp

Asian Carp Overview	Bighead Carp
Common Carp	Silver Carp
Grass Carp	Black Carp

Cyprinus carpio

The Common carp is eaten around the world, and has been introduced into lakes and rivers worldwide. It was stocked into US waters around 1880. Read our page on the History of Common Carp in North America to learn more.

This fish tolerates some salt water, and eats plankton, insects, and plants. The common carp stirs up sediments at the bottom of rivers and lakes during feeding, which reduces habitat for other fish that need clean water and plants to survive. They can live in water polluted by sewage or agricultural runoff. This fish is considered a "nuisance" fish because it makes life more difficult for native species but it hasn't completely changed the feeding structure of our lakes and streams. They do not reproduce as quickly as the four other invasive Asian carp.

Statistics:

Maximum length is approximately 43 inches
Maximum weight is around 90 pounds

For more information:

USGS Common Carp Fact Sheet
Minnesota DNR Common Carp Page

Common Carp

US Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Related NPS pages about Carp:

Common Carp in the Upper Mississippi
History of Common Carp in North America
Exotic Fish Species of the Mississippi
The Problem with "Roughfish"
Fishing for Carp
Carp Uses
Carp Recipes