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EveryFish

Carps and minnows

Rohu, catla, mrigal, mahseer, koi, goldfish and barbs. 12 fish on EveryFish so far.

Carps and minnows belong to the order Cypriniformes, which with more than 4,000 species is the largest group of freshwater fish. They have no teeth in their jaws, grinding food with throat teeth instead, and many have barbels and a link between the swim bladder and the ear that gives them keen hearing. The group runs from tiny danios and rasboras to the mahseer and the big carps of Asian rivers.

The world's most farmed fish

Carps are the backbone of fish farming. Grass carp, silver carp, common carp and bighead carp are among the most farmed fish on Earth by weight, mainly in China. In India and Bangladesh the Indian major carps, catla, rohu and mrigal, are raised together in ponds in composite fish culture, with each species feeding at a different depth. Carps are central to Bengali, Odia and Assamese cooking, where rohu is the everyday fish and a fish of ceremony.

Goldfish, koi and mahseer

Goldfish were bred in China from a wild carp more than a thousand years ago, and koi were bred from the common carp in Japan from the 19th century. The zebrafish, a small danio of South Asian rivers, is one of the most studied animals in biology. In the wild, the mahseers of the Himalaya and the Western Ghats are prized by anglers and revered at temple pools, but several are endangered by dams, pollution and overfishing. The common carp, in turn, is invasive in Australia and North America.

Famous carp fish

RohuThe best-loved fish of BengalGolden mahseerThe golden mahseer of Himalayan riversZebrafishA model animal in laboratories worldwide

Still to be written: Catla, Cirrhinus mrigala, Common carp, Grass carp, Goldfish.

Further reading

WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
UseFood fishFarmedAquarium fishSport fishingCulture and faithVenomous or dangerousInvasiveScience and research
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest firstBy size
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreRohu A large silver carp from South Asian rivers, farmed for food and prized as a game fish.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇰🇪 Kenya and 4 moreRipon barbel A large freshwater cyprinid from East African lakes and rivers.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1900 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreChinese hooksnout carp A small freshwater minnow native to East and Southeast Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇷🇺 RussiaCaspian roach A brackish water fish from the Caspian Sea region, widely consumed as a dried snack.Carp · Estuaries and mangroves 🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreSabre carp A silvery surface feeder from Eastern Europe and Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreZebrafish Small striped fish from South Asia kept in aquariums and labsCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇹🇭 Thailand and 2 moreSiamese mud carp Freshwater cyprinid native to Mekong and Chao Phraya riversCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreLake chub A small cold-water minnow native to Canada and the northern US.Carp · Rivers and lakes WorldLabeobarbus A genus of mid-sized ray-finned fish widely distributed in eastern and southern Africa.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 1 moreGolden mahseer Large cyprinid fish from Himalayan riversCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇯🇵 JapanNigorobuna Wild carp from Lake Biwa used for fermented sushi.Carp · Rivers and lakes WorldRasbora A diverse genus of small freshwater fish native to South and Southeast Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1822

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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