Bighead Carp

Identification

The bighead carp is a massive fish that can reach 150 cm and up to 40 kg — one of the largest cyprinids in the world. As the name suggests, the head is remarkably large: nearly one-third of the total body length. Color is darker than the silver carp, grey-green with irregular dark blotches on the flanks. The eyes are set low, like in the silver carp.

Behavior & ecology

Like the silver carp, the bighead carp is a plankton filter feeder, but it consumes larger particles: primarily zooplankton alongside phytoplankton. This dietary difference allows both species to coexist without direct competition. The bighead carp jumps less than the silver carp but is even more impressive due to its size. The species grows rapidly and can exceed 20 kg in just a few years.

In the Netherlands

The bighead carp is also on the EU list of invasive alien species. With 41 records, it has been found slightly more often than the silver carp. Specimens in the Netherlands almost certainly originate from stocking in fish ponds or introduction as biological algae control. Successful reproduction has not been confirmed.