Overview
?Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) are native to eastern Asia and are one of four non-native fish referred to as invasive carp. These fish are large, deep bodied fish that have a large head and a large toothless mouth with a protruding lower jaw. The bighead carp's eyes are far forward and low on the head, projecting downward. The coloration of the body is dark gray, fading to white toward the underside with dark irregular blotches on the sides. They have a belly keel that extends from the vent to the base of the pelvic fins. They can grow up to nearly 5 feet in length and commonly reach 40 pounds, with some individuals reaching more than 100 pounds!
Bighead carp were introduced to the southern United States in the 1970s to help aquaculture and wastewater treatment facilities keep retention ponds clean and to provide fresh fish for human consumption. The species first began to appear in the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in the early 1980s, likely as a result of escapes from aquaculture facilities. Bighead carp wild populations are established in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Bighead carp have also been reported in or stocked in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia,
In 2011, Bighead carp was listed as an injurious species under federal Lacey Act. The?injurious wildlife?listing means it is illegal to import or to transport live bighead carp, including viable eggs or hybrids of the species, across state lines, except by permit for zoological, education, medical or scientific purposes.
Scientific Name
Identification Numbers
Characteristics
Similar Species
Bighead carp are similar to the silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and can be distinguished by color and keel length. Bighead carp have the dark coloration on its sides and their keel is smooth and only between the anal and pelvic fins, the keel does not extend anterior of the base of the pelvic fins like it does in the silver carp.
Life Cycle
Bighead carp spawn in large turbulent rivers after spring rains floods and water temperatures reach 77 °F (25 °C). Males reach sexual maturity as early as two years old and females as early as three years old and are pelagic broadcast spawners. The semi-buoyant eggs are fertilized externally and float down river for 40 to 60 hours before hatching and must remain in the current to prevent sinking. Bighead carp spawn multiple times in one season, and females can produce up to a million eggs per year. They have also been known to hybridize (cross-breed) with silver carp and produce viable, reproductive offspring.
Bighead carp inhabit freshwater river systems, confluent lakes, impoundments and reservoirs. Bighead carp are an eurythermic fish that can tolerate water temperatures of 0.5 °C to 38 °C (32.9 °F to 100.4 °F) . Bighead carp stay in the upper layer of the water column and in waters with abundant natural food and low flow.
Bighead carp spawn in turbulent rivers and their eggs develop and hatch while drifting downriver. The larvae drift downriver for a period of time developing, and then they swim from the river to low flow nursery areas. Adults and juveniles prefer slow moving water. Bighead carp mature in 2 to 3 years and then migrate upstream to the spawning rivers in the spring and summer.
Bighead carp are known to live up to 16 years, but could possibly live longer.
Physical Characteristics
Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) are native to eastern Asia and are one of four nonnative fish referred to as “invasive carp”. These fish are large, deep bodied fish that have a large head and a large toothless mouth with a protruding lower jaw. The bighead carp's eyes are far forward and low on the head, projecting downward. The coloration of the body is dark gray, fading to white toward the underside with dark irregular blotches on the sides. They have a belly keel that extends from the vent to the base of the pelvic fins. They can grow up to nearly 5 feet in length and commonly reach 40 pounds with some individuals reaching over 100 pounds.
Bighead carp were introduced to the southern United States in the 1970s to help aquaculture and wastewater treatment facilities keep retention ponds clean and to provide fresh fish for human consumption. The species first began to appear in, the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, in the early 1980s, likely as a result of escapes from aquaculture facilities. Bighead carp wild populations are established in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Bighead carp have also been reported in or stocked in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia,
In 2011 Bighead carp was listed as an “injurious” species under federal Lacey Act. The?injurious wildlife?listing means it is illegal to import or to transport live bighead carp, including viable eggs or hybrids of the species, across state lines, except by permit for zoological, education, medical, or scientific purposes.
Bighead carp are a deep-bodied fish with large toothless mouths and very large heads. Their eyes are small, located forward and low on the head, well below the axis of the body and project downward. Their head has no scales and their lower jaw protrudes pass the upper jaw. Their belly keel extends from the vent (anus) only to the bases of the pelvic fins. Bighead carp can grow over 4 feet in length.
The body coloration is dark gray above and cream-colored below toward the underside with dark gray to black irregular blotches on the back and sides.
Bighead carp usually weight up to 40 pounds (18.14 kg), but can grow to more than 80 pounds (36.29 kg). The current world record bighead carp weight was 125 pounds, 5 ounces (56.84 kg) and was caught in Missouri.
Habitat
?Bighead carp inhabit freshwater river systems, confluent lakes, impoundments and reservoirs. Bighead carp are an eurythermic fish that can tolerate water temperatures of 32.9 °F to 100.4 °F (0.5 °C to 38 °C). Bighead carp stay in the upper layer of the water column and in waters with abundant natural food and low flow.
Food
?Bighead carp are filter feeders that consume mainly zooplankton; this species of carp do not have true stomachs and feed almost continuously. They feed at water temperatures above 35° F and are capable of eating between 20% to 120% of their body weight each day.
Behavior
Geography
Bighead carp are native to eastern Asia from the Amur River in eastern Russia south through eastern China to Pearl River. They have been introduced all over the world, including Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, Greater Antilles, Pacific Islands, Europe and throughout Asia outside of their natural range. In the United States, bighead carp are currently spread throughout the Mississippi River, Missouri River and Ohio River systems within or along the border of 23 states.
Bighead carp were first imported into the United States in 1973 to improve water quality and increase fish production in aquaculture ponds. In 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added the bighead carp to the list of injurious fish, mollusks and crustaceans. This listing prohibited the importation into the United States and interstate transportation between states and U.S. territories of live bighead carp, gametes, viable eggs and hybrids without permit. Some states have commercial fishing to reduce the numbers of invasive carp.