Carp Habitat

What is carp habitat? People assume carp are everywhere. This is not true since carp like certain habitats if available. The majority of waterways do have the habitat a carp prefers.

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Habitat

Carp do well in ponds and lakes. This is due to the water being slack or without currents. A carp prefers a habitat without currents. The swift water washes away the softer bottoms a carp likes. In rivers or streams, the slack water holds the fish.

You find carp in areas with a soft bottom. This type of bottom holds insects and plant matter better. The fish likes areas with some plant growth also. Carp eat various plants and insects as the main part of their diet.

Larger waterways are better also. The fish travel around in search of food. These fish feed a lot and need large feeding grounds. In small waterways, the lack of feeding areas produces smaller and fewer fish. The conditions tend to be poor also.

A carp will survive in temperature extremes. A carp tolerates 35-95 F* degrees. Ponds that freeze over only need enough depth to provide adequate oxygen. They are able to tolerate low oxygen too.

In low oxygen situations, the carp will gulp air at the surface. The action is common in small waterways during summer. The higher temperatures reduce the amount of oxygen. The levels will kill other fish but a carp survives.

Carp Spawning Habitat

Carp spawn starting in April lasting into June. A female will spawn 2-3 times if the conditions are ideal. But, most carp spawn once. A female lays the eggs which are fertilized by several males. You have likely seen carp spawning.

During the spawning period, carp seek out shallows with weeds or other plants. The depth ranges from 1 to 4 feet. The fish cause a commotion in the shallows. They will have the water appear as if it is boiling. This is due to large numbers and activity.

Once the carp spawn, they leave the spawning beds. The eggs and young fry are left on their own. The fish lays enough eggs to maintain the species although many of the eggs and young are eaten. A typical female lays around 200,000 to 300,000 eggs. Few of these eggs hatch, producing fry. Plus, few of the fry survive to maturity.

Conclusions

Carp prefer calm water with little or no current. Plantlife is another plus for finding the fish. Plants hold insects, small crustaceans, and other food. The fish tolerates extreme conditions. It survives in areas where other fish will die.