Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
- Look for a large, heavy-bodied freshwater fish with a distinctive golden-olive to brassy coloration along its sides.
- Common carp have large, prominent scales covering most of the body. A key trait to distinguish them from scaleless or small-scaled fish.
- Unlike goldfish, which share similar habitat, common carp grow much larger and lack the bright orange or red coloration of domestic goldfish.
- Ghost carp (a hybrid of common carp and koi) show highly variable colors and patterns, whereas pure common carp are more uniformly bronze or olive-toned.