Carp is one of the most common fish in the world. Translated from Greek, carp means "harvest, fertility", which quite accurately describes the omnivorous, fast-growing freshwater fish. The fish reaches a considerable size, is distinguished by cunning and unpredictable behavior, so catching a trophy is not easy. Fishermen spend several days at the pond to catch the fish of a lifetime.

How the carp came to be

Carps in Lithuania began to be cultivated in the 7th–18th centuries. Later, carp breeding pond farms were established, mainly in the Vilnius region and Žemaitia: in the estates of Verkių, Trakų Vokė, Vasakni, Bajorėlių Šilo-Pavėžupis, Kurtuvėnai. One of the most famous carp breeders was Count Steponas Pliateris-Zyberkas (1881-1943). Between the wars, carp fry were brought from Western European countries, mainly from the Czech Republic and Germany, in order to improve the characteristics of their varieties, after the Second World War - from Russia. Many varieties of carp have been bred. of the Minister of Agriculture of Lithuania in 2010 February 18 by order no. The carp of the 3D-133 BV breeding strain was recognized as the Lithuanian carp variety "Šilavotos carp". This breed of BV breeder mirror carp is now grown by most of the country's pond fish farms.

The local ichthyofauna was formed during the post-glacial period, so it is young and relatively sparse in species (only 42 aboriginal fish species live in inland waters). The appearance of introduced species is associated with the development of human economic activity. 21 species of fish were tried to be introduced in Lithuania during the entire period, usually the introduced species were unable to adapt to the new conditions and, after they stopped breeding, later disappeared. Due to the low water temperature, the carp cannot mature the sexual products and spawn, in some cases they spawn, but the fry die during the winter period. Carp is not only an important object of aquaculture, but it is also important for amateur fishing, especially for catching large or record-breaking fish on a catch-and-release basis.

What are the types of carp?

Carp is one of the most common species of fish living on our planet. Carps live in many water bodies of the world, and the number of their species reaches more than 5000. In this article, we will focus on the carp that live in our country.

Most of the time, carp are peaceful fish that are used to eating plant and partly animal food insects, beetles, earthworms and other zoo plankton. Only occasionally did a carp grab a passing fry.

Common carp

Common carp, or carp as it is also called, lives in most of the water ponds in our country. Although it is not so easy to catch a carp and sometimes it seems that it is not there at all. However, this is far from true. It's just that carp is very careful and catching it is a whole science. This type of fish cannot be confused with other types of carp due to several features unique to them. The body of common carp is completely covered with scales. It is symmetrical and round in appearance. It is also covered in mucus. This allows the carp to defend itself against bacteria and move more easily in the water.

Mirror carp

The mirror carp has a much smaller population than its relative the common carp. This species was created by breeding a new breed of carp by crossing the common carp with several other species. Initially, the purpose of such an experiment was to breed carp of a large breed, less capricious to harsh living conditions and rapidly gaining weight. The people who brought him out were able to accomplish their task, but only partially.

Mirror carp feels great in many water ponds of our country, quickly gains weight, but at the same time it is more whimsical and is found much less in nature. This type of carp has several characteristic features, by which it can be easily distinguished from others. First, it should be noted that the mirror carp has practically no scales. Only occasionally can you see separate large scales on its body in the area of the dorsal fin and tail. Secondly, this carp has a peculiar color, which is much darker than the common carp. It is by these characteristics that you can distinguish it from others.

Koi carp

The history of the origin of koi carp goes back in time. According to scientists, this species originated in China as a result of the deliberate crossbreeding of local carps and wild carp. Thus, the inhabitants of China created an incredibly beautiful fish, which is still in high decorative demand. As a result of crossbreeding, this fish acquired the physique of a wild carp, and inherited its bright color from the carp. Quite large fish have been obtained, often reaching 1 kg or more in weight and with a bright color.

Carp come in a variety of colors, from white and blue to red and black. From China, koi carp quickly came to Japan. It was originally used there for food. The Japanese bred carp in ponds near rice plantations, saving laborers and people in remote areas from having to travel far to find food. In the modern world, this type of carp fish is not used as a food product, it is mostly grown as a decorative element.

What does a carp eat?

Carp is a greedy, omnivorous fish that likes to feed off the bottom. With the help of a special structure of the mouth and gills, the fish filters the contents of the mud, leaving only the nutritional components. Large and dense lips are able to grind even the hard shells of crustaceans at the same time.

Carp is happy to absorb plant and animal food. Eats: larvae, worms, insects, leeches, molluscs, tadpoles, crustaceans, eggs, aquatic plants, etc.

Carp as a food product

Carp meat is quite tasty, slightly sweet, slightly smelling of mud. It is low in calories - 112 kcal / 100 g and can be used in dietary nutrition. It also contains protein (16 g), vitamins (A, B1, B6, B12, C, T, PP) and useful macro and micro elements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, iodine, sulfur, zinc, phosphorus, etc. , fatty acids Omega-3, 6. Regular consumption of carp helps normalize the functions of the cardiovascular system, strengthens immunity and bone tissue, and slows down the aging process.

Fish living in the natural environment provide the greatest benefit. In artificial ponds, various chemical additives, hormones and antibiotics are added to their food to promote growth. Therefore, it is advised to choose fish only from organic farms.

You guys

It is not only tasty, but also a strong fish, so catching it gives anglers a lot of positive emotions. There is even a category of anglers - carp anglers, who deal exclusively with carp fishing. And this is not surprising, because catching a trophy carp is not so easy, because adult fish are quite cautious and you have to sit for several days to get a trophy fish bait.