Living habits and geographical distribution of lake carp (an important farmed fish in Europe)

The lake carp (Rutilus rutilus lacustris) belongs to the order Cypriniformes, the family Cyprinidae, the subfamily Arloideae, and the genus Rutilus lacustris. Commonly known as: small white fish. English name: Roach.

The sides of the body are flat and high, the back is bulging, the head is slightly short, the snout is slightly blunt, the mouth is half-moon-shaped, and the upper and lower jaws are about the same length. No beard, large scales; complete lateral line, slightly curved downward above the pelvic fin, extending backward to the center of the caudal fin base. The starting point of the dorsal fin is later than the starting point of the pelvic fin, and the distance from the tip of the snout to the base of the caudal fin is approximately equal. The anal fin is smaller and the rear edge is slightly concave; the caudal fin is forked and the end is slightly pointed. The body is silvery white, the back is gray-black, and the dorsal fin is light black; the anal fin, pectoral fin, pelvic fin, and lower lobes of the caudal fin are orange-red. During the reproductive season, the male fish's head is covered with pearl stars, and most of the scales except the abdomen also have a cone-shaped pearl star.

Lake carp is a middle-lower fish that likes to inhabit still water with many aquatic plants. It mostly lives alone or in small groups. It feeds mainly on aquatic plants, but also on insect larvae and small molluscs. The feeding intensity is high in summer and generally stops in winter. Fish reach sexual maturity at the age of 3-4, and May is the reproductive season. They usually lay eggs in the still water of river forks and river bends with aquatic plants. The eggs adhere to aquatic plants and other objects. After the eggs hatch, the young fish feed along the coast and overwinter in deep water downstream of the river.

Lake carp is mainly distributed in Europe. It is found in eastern Asia from the Ob River to the Lena River in Siberia, Russia, and the Irtysh River and Bosten Lake in Xinjiang, my country.

Lake carp is an important fishing target in Russia. Most of it is caught in spring and autumn when the fish swims close to the shore and can be cultured.

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