Summary ²

Family: Cyprinidae

Grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella) are one of the species of Asian carp. This species is a vegetarian, specializing in eating aquatic plants. Was once widely introduced to help control nuisance plant growth in ponds and lakes. The genetic material of these individuals was modified to prevent them from reproducing, but there is a debate as to whether this method is effective. This species does NOT usually jump.

How to recognize: Eyes low on the head, generally below the level of the mouth. Large scales. General body shape is that of a long tube. Does NOT have a low ridge running along the bottom of its body. Body color is silver. Up to 4 feet /1.2 meters long.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) alavire, all rights reserved
2. (c) alavire, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Fish Database of Taiwan
• FishBase
• FishSource
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• VertNet
• World Register of Marine Species
• 日本のレッドデータ検索システム

iNat Map