The European Carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a freshwater fish. It is also known as the Common Carp. It is a cyprinid.
The European Carp is dark-grey with a large plump body. It has a forward protruding down-turned mouth with barbels at the side of its light-orange coloured lips.
It grows to about 120 centimetres (47 inches) long.
The European Carp is common in Europe and Asia. It prefers freshwater lakes and large slow-moving rivers, or still rivers, but it can tolerate most conditions.
It is omnivorous, eating fish, crustaceans, worms, and insects. It also eats some aquatic plants.
It is often seen in schools of five or more individuals.
It is oviparous. The female lays about 300,000 eggs, most of which are eaten by predators. The eggs hatch into small fish called fry.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM