Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
Description: A heavy-bodied fish with a long dorsal fin, large, thick
scales, two barbels (on either side of the upper jaw) and a stout, saw–toothed
spine at the front of both dorsal and anal fins. Typically, color varies from
brassy yellow or green, to golden brown, or even silvery. Individuals 12-25
inches in length and weighing up to 8-10 pounds are common, although
they can grow much larger. e Nebraska state record for common carp is
a 50 pound, 5 ounce fish taken by bowfishing in 2010. A genetic variation
called the mirror carp differs only by having over-enlarged scales, a patchy,
uneven scale pattern or no scales.
Range: Found statewide, common carp are a native species of Asia that
was transported to Europe and then the United States as a food resource and
at one time was stocked widely by various state fish commissions. Common
carp are omnivorous, consuming a variety of animal and plant material, and
primarily feed on the bottom but will also suck in objects floating on the
surface. eir aggressive feeding activities (uprooting plants and roiling
bottom sediments) can make the water very muddy.
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnow)
