Pectoral fin soft ray counts range from 14 to 17, and pelvic fin soft ray counts vary from 8 to 9. A conspicuous barbel extends from the posterior corner of the upper jaw and a smaller, less conspicuous one is found along the side of the upper jaw. The lateral line is complete and may contain from 33 to 44 scales. Body scales are large, displaying a diamond-shaped appearance and have a black dot in the front of each scale. Pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins are yellow to orange-red in adults.
Young fish have a dusky vertical bar on the caudal peduncle which fades with increasing age.
Molar-like grinding surfaces characterize the middle rows. Common carp prefer warm water, either standing or with sluggish flow. They are most abundant in large rivers, man-made lakes and natural lakes where there is abundant, soft organic matter on the bottom. Carp adapt better than most fish species to pollution caused by sewage or agricultural run-off. Carp are omnivorous feeders, taking both vegetable and animal matter in their diet.