11. Cyprinus carpio
(125cm)

C. carpio
collected by Kim, DaeMin
(Paju county, Gyeonggi Province)
 © 2007 photo by Kim, DaeMin

Habitat: Large river, lake, pond, lagoon, and drain, with bottoms of mud and sand, low to moderate current, 50cm~ deep. Feeds on invertebrates, plant, clam, and fish.

Range: Native to northeastern Asia (Russian Far East, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China), southeast Asia(Vietnam), and eastern Europe(Black and Caspian Sea drainages). Introduced to North America(US, Canada), northwestern Europe, and Australia.

Remarks: C.carpio has traditionally been presented, especially in Korea, China, and Japan, in a great deal of arts, literatures, and legends for a couple of thousands years. Also, it was an important food and pet fish and it is still main commercial fish in China and southeast Asia. Japan is a leading country in producing and creating a variety of formation, called Koi in Japanese, now found almost any pet-stores in the world. In the U.S where this fish was introduced in late 19th century, it is said population control is seriously needed since it is well known that this fish causes higher water turbidity.

* Habitat of Cyprinus carpio (Manseoggeo Lake : Suwon county, Gyeonggi Province)