Mirror Carp – Cyprinus carpio

Mirror Carp – Cyprinus carpio

Description: In the UK Mirror Carp have been known to reach sizes in excess of 65lbs! They are a long lived species even in ornamental ponds much like Koi. They grow rapidly for the first 3-4 years and start to slow once mature. The variety Mirror carp has a number of variations from Leather (no scales) to Fully scaled, Linears (a line of scales along the dorsal and lateral line) and various patterns in between.

They grow rapidly (faster than Koi and Common Carp) and become quite tame. They often live in excess of 50 years.

Maximum Size: 40″+ (over 1m!), commonly 25-30″ in a suitable pond.

Environment: Mirror Carp require the same environment as a Koi. A large, well filtered and aerated pond. Please do not keep these in aquariums for any length of time as they are a large growing species. Doing so will damage them permanently and reduce their health and life expectancy accordingly!

Water Conditions: Mirror Carp require a pH range of 7-8.5, Ammonia and Nitrite to be virtually 0ppm and dissolved oxygen saturation to remain above 6ppm. They are tolerable to lower oxygen saturation values than a lot of fish, although this is not recommended.

As with any pet, please fully research for yourself to ensure that you can accommodate a fish of this type in your home.