Common Carp

Overview

Everything you need to know about Common Carp, at a glance:

• Common Names: Wild Carp, European Carp, Eurasian Carp
• Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio
• Max Size: ~90cm
• Temperature Range: 15-25°C, though can survive temperatures close to freezing
• pH Range: 7.0-8.5
• Compatibility: Peaceful, but need to be kept in large ponds
• Area Of Origin: Eurasia
• Suitable Foods: Variety of sticks, pellets, and flakes.
• Special Requirements: Grow very quickly and need to be kept in large ponds.

What is a Common Carp?

Common Carp are close cousins of the most popular fish in the pond keeping hobby, Koi. In fact, they fall into the same catch-all species, Cyprinus carpio, and can therefore hybridise. While they’re not quite as flashy as Koi, Common Carp do have their own unique charm.

Most Common Carp are greenish brown, with an interesting, reticulated scale pattern that wraps around their entire body. They have two barbels on each side of their upper jaw, which they use to sift through mud. They also have a large mouth, like Koi, designed to swallow huge amounts of food in one gulp.

For centuries, Common Carp have been bred for food, particularly in Europe and Asia. They’re still eaten widely in some parts of the world, but here in the UK they’re seen as a rare prize amongst anglers and a gentle giant amongst pond keepers who often stock them alongside other wild-looking fish, like Tench.

How do I care for Grass Carp?

Common Carp are renowned for their hardiness and can be kept in a wide range of aquatic settings. They do require a degree of specialist care, though as long as you’re ready to provide this then they’re a great choice of fish for a garden pond – even if you’re a first-time pond keeper!

Like their cousins Koi, Common Carp can reach sizes of ~90cm. This means that they need to be kept in a large pond. As youngsters they may not need quite as much space, but as adults they need a pond that can hold thousands of litres of water. As a rule of thumb, aim to keep one Common Carp for every 1,000L of water.

Another important thing to consider is filtration. Common Carp eat a lot of food and, as a result, produce a lot of waste. To process this waste and make sure your pond is kept healthy, you’ll need a large pond filter. We stock a wide range of pond filters, but the best for these kinds of fish are Koi pond filters. For more information about Koi pond filters and how they work, check out our help guide here.

As large pond fish, Common Carp consume a lot of oxygen and therefore need to be kept in a garden pond where oxygen is readily available. To increase the amount of oxygen in your pond, create a waterfall, install a pond fountain, or run a powerful air pump. All of these methods will introduce additional oxygen to your pond and, in doing so, keep your Common Carp healthy and happy.

Common Carp aren’t fussy when it comes to food and will readily accept a variety of sticks, pellets, and flakes. They can also be fed specialist Koi foods to help enhance their growth and/or colours. It’s important to note that Common Carp are omnivorous and therefore need a balanced diet that includes both plant matter and foodstuffs high in protein.

Something to look out for when keeping Common Carp is their tendency to disturb the substrate of your pond. If you keep a lot of fine-rooted, emergent plants, then Common Carp aren’t exactly a suitable choice of fish. If you want to keep Common Carp and stunning pond plants, consider planting them alongst the shallow margins of your pond where they’re less likely to be uprooted.

How is this Common Carp delivered?

All of our aquatic animals are dispatched from our livestock distributor and delivered directly to your doorstep. Our distributor dispatches and delivers livestock packages Tuesday through Friday to avoid animals being in transit over the weekend. To further minimise time spent travelling, all livestock deliveries are made before 1pm on the day of delivery.

After placing your livestock order, you’ll receive all the information needed to track your livestock order via email. If you have any problems regarding delivery, or concerns about the health/wellbeing of your animal(s) upon arrival, please contact us, Swell UK Ltd, immediately, or at least within 48 hours of receiving your livestock order.

Any other, non-livestock items that you purchase alongside livestock will be sent via standard or express delivery and arrive at your delivery address in a different package. This means that, depending on when you place your order, you may receive your non-livestock items before or after your livestock package.

For a detailed breakdown of when you can expect to receive your livestock package depending on the day you placed your order, be sure to check the delivery details in the specifications below.

How do you acclimate a Common Carp to a pond?

It’s very important that you acclimatise new fish to your pond. This is the process of gradually adjusting an animal to its new environment and it’s especially important in an aquatic setting where sudden changes in water temperature, pH, and nitrates can cause stress, illness and, in some cases, even death.

To acclimatise your Common Carp, add it to a large, dimly lit container and add a small amount of pond water every few minutes. Do this until water temperatures in this container match water temperatures in your pond, and for at least 20 minutes. If you don’t have a large container to hand, you can float the bag containing your fish in your pond instead.

You should always set up your pond and make sure it’s ready for fish prior to purchasing any. It’s also a good idea to let your pond filter mature for a few months before adding Common Carp. A single Common Carp can produce a lot of mess; your pond filter needs to be able to handle this if it’s to maintain a healthy environment.

Above photos are for illustration purposes only; livestock received may not exactly match those photographed.