• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

    Mississippi

    National River & Recreation Area Minnesota

Grass Carp

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

Ctenopharyngodon idella

The Grass carp tolerates some salt, high temperature ranges, and low oxygen. It also survives better than native fish in polluted waters. Grass carp, as you might guess from the name, eat grass and other underwater plants, but will also eat insects and decaying plants. They are capable of consuming up to 40% of their body weight every day. Because of their amazing ability to eat, this species was brought to the US in 1963 for research on controlling aquatic plants. They weren't carefully monitored and were found in the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in Arkansas by the 1970s. Because they reproduce quickly and eat the plants that other native species depend on, they are considered an invasive fish but are already established in most of the Mississippi River (map).

Statistics:

Maximum length is approximately 59 inches
Maximum weight is around 100 pounds

For more information:

USGS Grass Carp Fact Sheet
Grass Carp (USGS)
A large Grass Carp
US Geological Survey

Did You Know?

Headwaters of the Mississippi

The Mississippi River is approximately three feet deep at its headwaters at Lake Itasca and has an average surface speed of 1.2 miles per hour.