# Common Carp (*Cyprinus carpio*) The Common Carp is a fish that has been around for a long time. It is very adaptable and can live in many different waters! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 23 - **Habitat:** Ponds and lakes - **Also known as:** European Carp ![Common Carp](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426021/objects/4682.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Carp has a deep, thick body covered in large, reflective golden-brown to olive scales. It is distinct for having two pairs of whisker-like barbels around its fleshy, protrusible mouth. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Cypriniformes - **Family:** Cyprinidae - **Genus:** Cyprinus ## Interesting facts - Common carp can drastically change an ecosystem by uprooting important plants! - Did you know common carp can live for over 60 years in the wild? - People have farmed common carp for food for thousands of years! - Some common carp can weigh over 45 kg, making them huge fish! ## Special abilities - **Bottom Feeder Sniffer:** Common Carp can sense food in murky water using sensitive barbels that help them find hidden snacks. - **Vacuum Mouth:** Common Carp has a protrusible mouth that helps them suck up food from the bottom like a tiny vacuum cleaner. - **Tough Survivor:** Common Carp can tolerate poor water quality and low oxygen levels because of their adaptable gills. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-120 cm - **Weight:** 1-30 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-30 years - **Swim Speed:** 18 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 25 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding Common Carp are omnivores, eating almost anything they find on the bottom of freshwater habitats. - **Primary Foods:** insect larvae, worms, aquatic plants, algae, small crustaceans, detritus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** European Otter (*Lutra lutra*) — Otters hunt carp in rivers. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-eagle) (*Haliaeetus albicilla*) — Eagles snatch carp from shallow water. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Large pike ambush young carp. - **Eats:** Bloodworm (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Carp eat larvae from the mud. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Carp? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Carp? 40-120 cm ### How much does Common Carp weigh? 1-30 kg ### How long does Common Carp live? 10-30 years ### What does Common Carp eat? Common Carp are omnivores, eating almost anything they find on the bottom of freshwater habitats. ### How fast can Common Carp swim? 18 km/h ### Where is Common Carp usually found? Ponds and lakes ### How does Common Carp hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bloomingdale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloomingdale) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Capen-Clark Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capen-clark-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [East 73rd Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-73rd-street-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Ice Age Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ice-age-trail) — Wisconsin, US · National Park - [Peebles Island State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peebles-island-state-park) — New York, US · State Park - [South Glastonbury Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-glastonbury-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Common Carp](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-carp) ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Common Carp: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-carp)