Table of Contents
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
Taxonomic Classification
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Cypriniformes
Family Cyprinidae
Genus Ctenopharyngodon
Species Ctenopharyngodon idella
Ecological distribution
Grass Carp are present in Vietnam, India, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Thailand, Kampuchea, Burma, and Sri Lanka.
Morphology
The body is moderately compressed and elongated. Head is broad and short, round snout. Lower jaws are smaller than upper jaws. Fish have no barbles. Two rows of comb-like teeth in the throat are present. Moderate size scales are on the body. The color on the above side is a grey and silver-like color on the belly.
Feeding Habit
This species eats vegetable food like weeds, tree leaves, and aquatic plants (Phytoplankton).
Breeding season
The breeding season is April -July. The period of spawning pairing occur.No parental care and fertilization is external. The temperature of breeding is 20-26 centigrade. One kilogram gives 100,000 eggs at a time. Within 12-18 hours eggs hatched.
Aquaculture
This fish has a high price in the market. So people cultured him. It is also cultured with polyculture.[1]https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/IN/IN103800.pdf[2]Microsoft Word – 05 majhi.doc (trjfas.org)[3]Biology and management of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cyprinidae) for vegetation control: a North American perspective | SpringerLink[4]japm-47-01-001.pdf (apms.org)
Economic points of view
Advantage
It feeds on herbs, so cannot compete with other fishes for food. It can be cultured in polyculture. It’s rate of growth is high. It does not breed in stagnant water. This has a high market value.
Disadvantages
The fish has a big head. The fish required (need) artificial feeding.
Reviewed by:
Dr. Muhammad Khalid Mukhtar (Ph.D.)
University of Sargodha, Sargodha
References