Carps Minnows and Relatives: Cypriniformes
Silver Carp (hypophthalmichthys Molitrix): Species Accounts
Physical characteristics: Silver carp are usually 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 centimeters) long. They are brassy olive on the back and silver-white on the lower sides and belly. Silver carp have one row of bones in the throat that are used for crushing food.
Geographic range: Silver carp are native to China and eastern Siberia but have been introduced worldwide.
Habitat: Silver carp live in standing or flowing waters such as ponds, lakes, and rivers.
Diet: Silver carp eat plankton.
Behavior and reproduction: Silver carp are known for leaping clear of the water when disturbed. They often swim just beneath the water surface. These fish migrate to the middle or upper reaches of a river to breed. The eggs and larvae float downstream to floodplain zones.
Silver carp and people: Silver carp is an important food fish. In some areas silver carp are used mainly for cleaning bodies of water where excess algae is a problem.
Conservation status: Silver carp are not threatened or endangered. ∎
Additional topics
- Carps Minnows and Relatives: Cypriniformes - Clown Loach (botia Macracanthus): Species Accounts
- Carps Minnows and Relatives: Cypriniformes - Stoneroller (campostoma Anomalum): Species Accounts
- Other Free Encyclopedias
Animal Life ResourceFish and Other Cold-Blooded VertebratesCarps Minnows and Relatives: Cypriniformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Minnow, Carps, And Loaches And Their Relatives And People, Conservation Status - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET