Black Carp

(Mylopharyngodon piceus), a species of fish of the family Cyprinidae. The black carp reaches a length of 120 cm and a weight of 30 kg or greater. The body and fins are almost black, but the abdomen is lighter in coloration. The black carp is distributed from the Amur River southward to South China; it is sparse in the Amur basin. The fish feeds mainly on gastropod mollusks. Spawning occurs in June and July, with each female producing about 1 million floating roe. Sexual maturity is attained in seven to nine years. The black carp is a valuable commercial fish; it is being acclimatized in waters of the southern USSR. The fish is raised at pond fisheries.