Karp is a fish that belongs to the cyprinid family, the cyprinoid order. Carps are divided into river and pond. River ones are called carp. They are stronger, smarter, grow faster. Pond - thicker, more prolific, more hardy.
Pond carps, in turn, are divided into mirror, framed Ukrainian and Central Russian (or Belarusian). The mirror carp is not completely covered with scales, unlike the Central Russian, but still with scales, unlike the framed Ukrainian.
Carps are unpretentious, easily adapt to living conditions. They can grow up to 1 m in length, gaining weight up to 25 kg. They reach such dimensions by 15-20 years of age. Mirror carp can gain weight up to 1 kg in the first year, and more than 2 kg by two years.
This fish is thermophilic, feels great at water temperatures of 22-27 °C and water saturation with oxygen of 5-7 mg/l.
Carps hibernate at depth, covered with a layer of hardened mucus (slen). During this period, they do not eat anything and lose a lot of weight. The warmer water brings them out of hibernation. Fishermen say that carp are not caught well before lilac blossoms and after harvest. However, during the cherry blossom season, the fishing is excellent.
Mirror carp becomes sexually mature by 4-5 years, depending on the temperature of the reservoir. Spawning in this fish is group, the group includes one female and several males, from two to five. Occurs at the end of spring-beginning of summer. Spawning takes place in shallow water, which literally boils during this period. Such noisy spawning is only for carps. The female can lay up to 180,000 eggs, which turn into fry after 5 days. The fry first feed on zooplankton, gradually moving to larger foods.
Mirror carp is a fish that is grown for sale in small ponds. A shallow, well-heated, low-flowing reservoir with aquatic vegetation suits them. Fry are launched into nursery ponds, where they will stay until autumn, reaching a weight of 20-30 g. After surviving the winter, they are transferred to feeding ponds. There they grow and gain the necessary commercial weight, about 2 kg.
Mirror carp can be grown both as a monoculture and with other fish (silver carp, catfish, pike, zander, etc.). According to the method of feeding when breeding carps, three systems are distinguished: extensive (they feed only with natural feeds, such as zooplankton), semi-intensive (they feed both zooplankton and top dressings in the form of corn, barley, wheat, etc.) and intensive (they use complex combined feeds with increased protein content).
Mirror carp, like all cyprinids, is a popular fish. He is loved by both fishermen and eaters. Its meat is he althy and has a delicate taste and thatimportantly, affordable.
In the rivers of Southeast Asia and Thailand there is another kind of carp - golden carp. Its weight can reach 70 kg, and its body length is 1.5 m. It has an interesting coloration: the body is pale, and the head and belly are in reddish or yellowish tones. It is omnivorous, feeding on both aquatic plants and insects. Spawning for golden carp occurs in winter (December to February). A fairly common fish for those parts.
