Mirror Carp 15 – 20cm
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Description
Description
Please note that we do not ship fish by mail. All fish must be collected from us in Oberweningen. We will professionally package the fish for you and ensure adequate oxygenation. This allows even longer transports to be handled without problems. Our staff will also be happy to inform you about transportation and the correct introduction of the fish into your pond.
Origin and Appearance
The carp is probably one of the most well-known European fish species. The wild form originally came from Asia and was brought to Europe by the Romans. Today, they are widespread throughout Europe, with the exception of Scandinavia. Due to their easy keeping and relatively fast growth, they were already a popular food fish back then.
Carp prefer warm, still, or slow-flowing waters with dense vegetation and soft substrate. They can be found in all types of waters. They are native to ponds, gravel pits, rivers, large natural lakes, or even brackish water.
The original wild form is hardly widespread today. Carp breeding and the resulting forms are now the dominant carp forms due to stocking measures. Among the cultivated forms, different subspecies are distinguished depending on the carp's scaling: common carp (fully scaled); mirror carp (a few large scales along the lateral line); linear carp (a few large scales on the back); leather carp (scaleless).
Care and Feeding
Carp are robust and adaptable fish that rarely get sick. Their peaceful and social nature allows for problem-free cohabitation with other cyprinid pond fish. Carp are schooling fish and should not be kept alone. For smaller fish, we recommend a group of 5 or more; larger fish can be kept in groups of 3 or more.
Carp are typical omnivores. However, they mainly feed on small organisms, but also on insect larvae or worms, and rarely on plant-based food. In garden ponds, we feed carp sinking pellets, as they primarily take their food from the bottom.
Carp reach sexual maturity at 3 – 5 years of age. Spawning season for carp occurs depending on the region in April – June, at a water temperature of 20 degrees or higher. During this time, the male develops the so-called spawning rash, which appears as white dots on the gill cover or on the pectoral fins. For spawning, the carp move to the shallow regions of their waters. There, the male fish begin to chase the females. The male nudges the female's flanks with its mouth, thus stimulating egg laying. The spawn is then fertilized by the male. A female carp can lay up to 1,500,000 eggs, depending on her weight.
Good water values are a prerequisite for keeping carp; a filter system and oxygenation are therefore essential for the well-being of the animals.
Water Temperatures and Wintering
Carp are native cold-water fish and can cope with a wide variety of conditions. They can tolerate temperatures between 4 – 28 °C well. Wintering in our domestic garden ponds is therefore not a problem.
| Family | Cyprinidae |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cyprinus carpio |
| Occurrence | Originally from Asia, now almost all over Europe |
| Size | 40 – 120 cm |
| Water temperature | 4 – 28° C, wintering outdoors possible with sufficient pond depth |
| Temperament | Peaceful and social |
| Diet | Omnivore, small organisms, plants, sinking pellets |
