Photo by Jenny Venturo
Which fish has huge scales, can survive in polluted water, and eats berries? Which fish grows to 100 pounds and lives across the country? You’re about to find out.
While we were in New York, on Lake Ontario, Daniel caught a carp with his hands. We think something was wrong with him, because he did not speed away like most carp. We were excited to have caught him with our hands!
Carp are large fish that are native to Europe and Asia but were introduced to the US. There are 3 main types of carp in North America—the common carp, the grass carp, and the silver carp. Common carp are, well, the most common! They grow to 30 inches and weigh up to 60 pounds. Common carp feed on many things, including berries, worms, crawdads, and corn. Other types of carp feed mainly on aquatic vegetation and grow bigger. Most carp will streak away at the slightest danger. That’s how we should act when temptations come!
Information from: Gilbert, Carter R., and James D. Williams. National Audubon Society Field Guide to Fishes. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1983.
