Silver carp
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Where at Shedd?
At Home on the Great Lakes
| Diet | Phytoplankton (adults) and zooplankton (young) |
|---|---|
| Size | Length: Up to 3.4 feet (105 cm) |
| Type | Fishes |
| Range | China, East Siberia |
| Habitat | Native to China and eastern Siberia; widely introduced for aquaculture; invasive throughout the Mississippi River basin |
Did you know?
- Asian carp is the group name given to bighead, silver, grass and black carp. All are invasive in the United States.
- Silver carp are skittish fish that startle when boats pass by. They jump out of the water, walloping boats and injuring boaters.
- Silver and bighead carp pump water through their gills, where comb-like rakers filter out huge amounts of plankton, and mucous traps the tiniest particles.
- Most fishes eat plankton at some point in their lives. By consuming so much of the plankton supply, Asian carp harm many species.