Asian carps

[edit] Species Name:

Asian Carp

[edit] Common Names:

also known as grass carp, bighead carp, silver carp, black carp

[edit] Scientific Name:

The scientific names of each are (grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (H. molitrix), and black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus))

[edit] Family or Group:

There are many species of heavy-bodied cyprinid fishes collectively known as Asian carps.

[edit] Basic Description:

[edit] Size:

The foreign invaders can grow to be 80 to 100 pounds.

[edit] Distribution and Habitat:

All asian carp, except largescale silver carp have been cultivated in aquaculture in China for over 1,000 years. Largescale silver carp, a more southern species, is native to, and is cultivated in Vietnam. Grass, silver, bighead and black carps are known as the "Four Domesticated Fish" in China and are the most important freshwater fish species for food and Chinese medicine. Bighead and silver carps are the most important fish, worldwide, in terms of total aquaculture production. Although all species were brought in for culture, and often triploid strains were developed and maintained, all four species have escaped into the wild. Self-sustaining populations of three of these species (grass, bighead and silver carps) have been established, particularly in the Mississippi drainage

[edit] Habits:

In the Midwest, Asian carp are making their way up the Mississippi River and its tributaries. They're ravenous eaters, consuming up to 40 percent of their own body weight in plankton each day. And they're bullies, pushing out weaker, native species.

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[edit] Commercial Value:

"Asian carp pose one of the most serious threats to our way of life in the Great Lakes region in the next 100 years," says Cameron Davis, executive director of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit advocacy and educational organization.

[edit] Notes:

Eight Asian carps have been substantially introduced outside of their native ranges:

• grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
• common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
• silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)
• largescale silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys harmandi)
• bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)
• black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus)
• goldfish (Carassius auratus)
• crucian carp (Carassius carassius)