Common Carp

freshwater fish · invasive species · Europe and Asia

Bottom feeders. Common carp spend much of their time on the lake or river floor, sucking up mud and plants to find food like insects, plants, and snails.

Spread worldwide. Humans have introduced carp to countries all over the world, and now they live on nearly every continent except Antarctica.

Problem invaders. In many places where they don't belong, carp eat so much plant life and stir up the mud that they damage habitats and make water murky, hurting native fish.

Love eutrophic waters. Carp thrive in lakes and rivers that are rich in nutrients, which means they're naturally found in fertile European and Asian waterways.

Farmed for thousands of years. People have raised carp in ponds as food for over a thousand years, especially in Europe and Asia, making them one of the most domesticated fish.