What are they?
The term “Asian Carp” refers to fish in the Cyprinid family such as goldfish, koi, and common carp. Don’t worry; your pet goldfish isn’t an outlaw…yet. In the aquatic nuisance species world, the term Asian carp specifically refers to four species of introduced carp that pose a significant threat to the freshwater aquatic environment: bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (H. molitrix), black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Although they will inhabit lakes and ponds,
Asian carp prefer large slow moving rivers with high turbidity, moderate to low oxygen levels and warmer water temperatures (up to 86°F).
FACT: In many Asian cultures, the carp is a symbol of prosperity and longevity. …show more content…
Considered the “shrimp” of the bunch, this guy can grow up to 4 feet in length and can weigh 75‐100 ponds.
The grass carp has an oblong body shape compared to the laterally compressed (flattened from side‐to‐side) bodies of the other carp species. Body coloration is dark silvery grey above with light gold sides and a white belly.
Scales of grass carp are very large and are said to resemble the pattern of a chain link fence. The head of grass carp is broad with long serrated pharyngeal teeth specialized for eating aquatic vegetation. This whopper of a fish can grow up to 5 feet in length and can weigh an amazing
143 pounds.
The black carp looks very similar to the grass carp, but has an overall black brown coloration and blackish grey fins. The body of the black carp is laterally compressed and covered with large black tipped scales, giving the fish a cross‐hatched appearance. Pharyngeal teeth of black carp resemble human molars and are used to crush the shells of snails and mollusks. This goliath can also grow up to 5 feet in length and weigh an unbelievable 150 pounds. FACT: Asian carp can eat an astounding 5‐40% of its body weight each …show more content…
Although it sounds funny, in reality, catching a 20+ pound carp in the face can lead to some pretty serious injuries. See a video of flying silver carp here: http://animal.discovery.com/tv‐shows/river‐monsters/videos/carp‐have‐panic‐ attack.htm FACT: Bighead and silver carp lack a true stomach, which requires them to feed almost continuously. Menace Management?
A lot of time, money, and effort has been spent by countless private, state, and federal organizations looking for the panacea of carp control. Unfortunately there is no single control method that is 100% effective at eliminating carp ‐ short of poisoning an entire water body.
Conventional control methods such as trapping, seining, explosives, herding with noise or light, electrical barriers, thermal barriers, bubble and noise walls, hydraulic modifications, oxygen deprivation, and sonic disruption, only serve to keep burgeoning populations from spreading further. Chemical treatments such as Rotenone and copper sulfate are very effective at eliminating carp, but kill native fish and other aquatic organisms in the process. Researchers are investigating the use of natural carp pheromones to coerce and control the behavior of