European Carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 1758

Other Names: Asian Carp, Blubber Lips, Calico Carp, Carp, Chinese Carp, Common Carp, Edible Carp, Euro, German Carp, Great Carp, Koi Carp, Leather Carp, Mirror Carp, Mud Sucker, Nishiki-koi

European Carp, Cyprinus carpio. Source: Gunther Schmida / http://www.guntherschmida.com.au. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

Summary:

European Carp are a major invasive pest species in Australia, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin where they are most common. Carp pose a serious threat to native fishes by destroying aquatic habitats and competing for resources.
Although the first recorded introductions of European Carp occurred in 1859 in Victoria and in 1865 in New South Wales, these releases occurred in isolated ponds. It was not until the 1964 release of carp into the Victorian side of the Murray River that the species began to impact waterways and native fish populations. European Carp now occur in every Australian State except the Northern Territory.

Video of European Carp feeding in Manly Dam, Sydney, New South Wales.
European Carp in the Yarra River, Melbourne.
European Carp and Goldfish crossing a flooded road on the Rotten Plain near Lightning Ridge in Queensland.Spawning behaviour of introduced European carp in MacKellar wetlands, Canberra.

Cite this page as:

Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2021, Cyprinus carpio in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3964

European Carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 1758

More Info

Distribution	Occurs in the southern half of Australia below an altitude of 700 m - from about Brisbane, Queensland, to Perth, Western Australia, including the Murray-Darling system, many coastal river systems of New South Wales and Victoria, and Lake Crescent and Lake Sorell, Tasmania. A native of Europe and Asia, but introduced worldwide. Inhabits still or gently flowing waters with abundant aquatic vegetation. Also found in brackish lower reaches of some rivers and coastal lakes. European Carp tolerate poor water quality including low oxygen concentrations.
Features	Dorsal fin III- IV, 17-23; Anal fin III, 5-6; Pectoral fin I, 14-17; Pelvic fin II, 7-9. Stocky, body elongate, moderately deep, slightly compressed; dorsal profile gently convex from snout to caudal peduncle; ventral profile somewhat flat; head triangular, moderate size, scaleless; snout blunt; eye small; mouth terminal, moderate size, protrusible; upper jaw slightly protruding; no teeth in jaws; four barbels, a long barbel at each corner of the mouth, and a short barbel on each end of the upper lip. Scales cycloid, large, thick; head scale-less but body covered in scales of similar size; 34-40 lateral line scales (genetic variation produces differences in scale cover resulting in a form which has large, different sized, irregularly spaced mirror like scales all over body). Single long-based dorsal fin, first 2-3 spines small, last stout and serrated on back edge; pectoral fins low, well forward, rounded; pelvic fins below origin of dorsal fin, rounded; anal fin small, short-based with 3 spines, last serrated on hind edge; caudal fin deeply forked, lobes rounded.
Size	Maximum size to 120 cm although seldom exceed 30-40 cm.
Colour	Variable, olive green, yellow green to golden dorsally, brassy yellow or greenish yellow on sides, silvery yellow on belly; fins opaque, dark.
Feeding	Omnivore - feeds on molluscs, crustaceans, insect larvae, seeds, detritus - usually by sucking mud from the bottom to filter out food items. This increases water turbidity, seriously affecting aquatic habitats.
Biology	Usually sexually mature at 2-4 years in males and 3-5 years in females but may be as early as 3 months; oviparous, benthic spawners, eggs are laid in clumps on vegetation, logs and submerged grass. Eggs are small (0.5 mm diameter) and adhesive. Hatching occurs after 2-6 days, depending on water temperature.
Remarks	A major pest threatening native fishes due to the serious damage they cause to aquatic vegetation.
Species Citation	Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758. Systema Naturae 10: 320. Type locality: Europe.
Author	Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2021
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

European Carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 1758

References

Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.

Arthington, A. & McKenzie, F. 1997. Review of Impacts of Displaced/Introduced Fauna Associated with Inland Waters. State of the Environment Technical Paper Series (Inland Waters). Department of the Environment : Canberra. 69 pp.

Arthington, A.H. 1989. Impacts of introduced and translocated freshwater fishes in Australia. pp. 7-20 in De Silva, S.S. (ed.) Exotic aquatic organisms in Asia: Proceedings of the workshop on introduction of exotic aquatic organisms in Asia. Manila, Philippines : Asian Fisheries Society Asian Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 3. 154 pp.

Ayres, R. & Clunie, P. 2010. Management of freshwater fish incursions: a review. PestSmart Toolkit publication, Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra, Australia. 152 pp.

Bell, K. 2003. A review of the commercial use of carp. in Lapidge, K.L. Proceedings of the National Carp Control Workshop, March 2003, Canberra. Cooperative Research Centre for Pest Animal Control, Canberra.

Brown, P., Sivakumaran, K.P., Stoessel, D., Giles, A. 2005. Population biology of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the mid-Murray River and Barmah Forest Wetlands, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 56: 1151-1164.

Brumley, A.R. 1991. Cyprinids of Australasia, pp. 264–283 in Nelson, J.S. & Winfield, I.J. (eds) Biology of Cyprinid Fishes. Chapman and Hall, London.

Brumley, A.R. 1996. Family Cyprinidae carps, minnows, etc. pp. 99-106. in McDowall, R.M. (ed.) Freshwater Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Sydney : Reed Books 247 pp.

Cadwallader, P.L. & Backhouse, G.N. 1983. A Guide to the Freshwater Fish of Victoria. Melbourne : F.D. Atkinson Government Printer 249 pp. figs.

Clements, J. 1988. Salmon at the Antipodes: A history and review of the trout, salmon and char and introduced coarse fish in Australasia. Ballarat : John Clements pp.

Corfield, J., Diggles, B., Jubb, C., McDowall, R.M., Moore, A., Richards, A. & Rowe, D.K. 2008. Review of the impacts of introduced ornamental fish species that have established wild populations in Australia. Prepared for the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 277 pp.

Diggle, J., Day, J. & Bax, N. 2004. Eradicating European carp from Tasmania and implications for national European carp eradication. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Final Project Report (Project No. 2000/182), Canberra.

Diggle, J., Patil, J. & Wisniewski, C. 2012. A manual for carp control: The Tasmanian model. PestSmart Toolkit publication, Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra, Australia, 28pp.

Donkers, P., Patil, J.G., Wisniewski, C. & Diggle, J.E. 2012. Validation of mark–recapture population estimates for invasive common carp, Cyprinus carpio, in Lake Crescent, Tasmania. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 28: 7–14.

Dove, A.D.M., Cribb, T.H., Mockler, S.P. & M. Lintermans. 1997. The Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, in Australian freshwater fishes. Marine and Freshwater Research 48(2): 181-183.

Dove, A.D.M. & Ernst, I. 1998. Concurrent invaders—four exotic species of Monogenea now established on exotic freshwater fishes in Australia. International Journal for Parasitology 28(11): 1755-1764.

Dove, A.D.M. & Fletcher, A.S. 2000. The distribution of the introduced tapeworm Bothriocephalus acheilognathi in Australian freshwater fishes. Journal of Helminthology 74(2): 121-127.

Fletcher, A.R., Morison, A.K. & Hume, D.J. 1985. Effects of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) on aquatic vegetation and turbidity of waterbodies in the lower Goulburn River Basin. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36: 311–327.

Gilligan, D. 2005. Carp in Australian rivers, pp 30-39, in Lunney, D., Eby, P., Hutchings, P. & Burgin, S. (eds). Pest or Guest: the zoology of overabundance. Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales Forum held in October 2005. 270 pp. ISBN 978 0 9803272 1 2.

Gilligan, D. & Rayner, T. 2007. The distribution, spread, ecological impacts, and potential control of carp in the upper Murray River. Fisheries Research Report Series 14. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Sydney. 25 pp.

Graham, K.J., Lowry, M.B., & Walford, T.R. 2005. Carp in NSW: Assessment of Distribution, Fishery and Fishing Methods. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 72, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla.

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp.

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp.

Hammer, M.P. & Walker, K.F. 2004. A catalogue of South Australian freshwater fishes, including new records, range extensions and translocations. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 128(2): 85-97

Haynes, G.D. 2009. Population genetics of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the Murray-Darling Basin. Ph.D thesis, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney. 186 pp.

Haynes, G.D., Gilligan, D.M., Grewe, P., Moran, C. & Nicholas, F.W. 2010. Population genetics of invasive common carp Cyprinus carpio L. in coastal drainages in eastern Australia. Journal of Fish Biology 77(5): 1150–1157.

Haynes, G.D., Gilligan, D.M., Grewe, P. & & Nicholas, F.W. 2009. Population genetics and management units of invasive common carp Cyprinus carpio in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. Journal of Fish Biology 75(2): 295-320.

Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) 2014. Carp Management Program Annual Report 2013/2014. Inland Fisheries Service, Hobart.

Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) 2015. Carp Management Program Annual Report 2014/2015. Inland Fisheries Service, Hobart.

Kailola, P.J., Williams, M.J., Stewart, P.C., Reichelt, R.E., McNee, A. & Grieve, C. 1993. Australian Fisheries Resources. Canberra : Bureau of Resource Sciences and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation 422 pp.

Koehn, J.D. 2004. Carp (Cyprinus carpio) as a powerful invader in Australian waterways. Freshwater Biology 49(7): 882-894.

Koehn, J., Brumley, A. & Gehrke, P. 2000. Managing the impacts of Carp. Bureau of Rural Sciences (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia), Canberra.

Koehn, J.D. & MacKenzie, R.F. 2004. Priority management actions for alien freshwater fish species in Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38: 457-472.

Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna tria Naturae, secundem Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentis, Synonymis, Locis. Tom.1 Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii 824 pp.

Lintermans, M. 2009. Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin — An Introductory Guide. Canberra : Murray-Darling Basin Commission 157 pp. [MDBC Publication Number 10/07]

Lowe, S., Browne, M., Boudjelas, S. & De Poorter, M. 2000. 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species A selection from the Global Invasive Species Database. The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Macdonald, A. & Wisniewski, C. 2011. The use of biotelemtry in controlling the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in lakes Crescent and Sorell. Technical Report No. 1. Inland Fisheries Service, Hobart.

McKay, R.J. 1989. Exotic and translocated freshwater fishes in Australia. pp. 21-34 in De Silva, S.S. (ed.) Exotic aquatic organisms in Asia: Proceedings of the workshop on introduction of exotic aquatic organisms in Asia. Manila, Philippines : Asian Fisheries Society Asian Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 3. 154 pp.

McLeod, R. 2004. Counting the cost: Impact of invasive animals in Australia 2004. Cooperative Research Centre for Pest Animal Control, Canberra. pp. 79.

Merrick, J.R. & Schmida, G.E. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes Biology and Management. Sydney : J.R. Merrick 409 pp. figs 280 col. figs.

Morgan, D.L., Gill, H.S., Maddern, M.G. & Beatty, S.J. 2004. Distribution and impacts of introduced freshwater fishes in Western Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38: 511-523.

Morison, A. & Humes, D. 1990. Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in Australia. pp. 110-113 in Pollard, D.A. Australian Society for Fish Biology Workshop: Introduced and translocated fishes and their ecological effects. Bureau of Rural Resources Proceedings No.8. Canberra, ACT : Australian Government Publishing Service pp.

Prokop, F. 2002. Australian Fish Guide. Croydon South, Victoria : Australian Fishing Network 256 pp.

Shearer, K.D. & Mulley, J.C. 1978. The introduction and distribution of Carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, in Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 29: 551-563.

Smith, B.B. 2005. The State of the Art: a Synopsis of Information on Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia. Final Technical Report, SARDI Aquatic Sciences Publication No. RDO4/0064-2; SARDI Research Report Series No. 77. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. 68 pp.

Smith, B.B. & Hammer, M. 2006. Mapping the current distribution of native and exotic fishes within the South Australian Murray Darling Basin. Final Report to PIRSA Rural Solutions (Animal and Plant Control Board). Primary Industries and Resources South Australia, SARDI Aquatic Sciences, Adelaide. 60 pp.

I.G. Stuart, B.G. Fanson, J.P. Lyon, J. Stocks, S. Brooks, A. Norris, L. Thwaites, M. Beitzel, M. Hutchison, Q. Ye, J.D. Koehn, A.F. Bennett, Continental threat: How many common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are there in Australia? Biological Conservation 254: 108942, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108942

Stuart, I., McKenzie, J., Williams, A. & Holt, T. 2003. Separation cages for the removal of carp from Murray Darling Basin fishways. Report to the Murray Darling River Basin Commission by the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg, Victoria.

Taylor, A.H., Tracey, S.R., Hartmann, K. & Patil, J.G. 2012. Exploiting seasonal habitat use of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, in a lacustrine system for management and eradication. Marine and Freshwater Research 63(7): 587-597.

Wager, R. & Unmack, P.J. 2000. Fishes of the Lake Eyre Catchment of Central Australia. Brisbane : Department of Primary Industries and Queensland Fisheries Service 88 pp.

Walker, R. & Donkers, P. 2011. An examination of the selectivity of fishing equipment in relation to controlling the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Lakes Crescent and Sorell. Technical Report No. 2. Inland Fisheries Service, Hobart.

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp.