Living in the Baltic Sea

Habitat
Although very tolerant of most conditions these bottom dwellers prefer large bodies of slow moving or standing water and soft, vegetative sediments. They live in schools, preferably in groups of 5 or more. During their winter they enter a kind of hibernation state where they loose up to 15 % of their body weight.
Food
Omnivorous and bottom feeding, the Carp can feed on vegetation but prefers to scavenge the bottom for insect, crustacean, plankton and worms. They also eat fungi. While feeding, they may destroy, uproot and disturb submerged vegetation causing serious damage to native duck and fish populations.

Spawning
Age: 3-5 years old
Season: Spring and summer
Number of eggs: 93 000 - 1 664 000

Spawning takes place during the day in shallow waters in richly vegetated areas in response to rising water temperatures and rainfall. The eggs hatch after 3-6 days. The Carp can reproduce multiple times in a season.

Human impact and Status
Originally from East Europe and Asia, the Carp was intentionally introduced by man in the Baltic Sea in the 1500s. It is a common food fish in the southern countries around the Baltic Sea. It is bread extensively as well as being caught wild. Threats to the Carp are the same as to many other species, loss of natural habitat and pollution. CLOSE