Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-11-26
CARP
A NEw FIsn FoR AMERICAN WATERS.


The following article by Prof S. F.
Baird, United States Fish Commissioner,
who is interested in introducing and dis
tributing the German Carp in this coun-
try, will be read with interest, particularly
so, when the reader is informed that
number Of these fish have recently been
placed in Ashtabula waters The follow.
ing account IS given Of this fish by the
professor:
The fish itself is probably Of Asiastic ori.
gin, and has been domesticated in China
for thousands Of years. Il has, however.
been so extensively distributed in Europe
as to have become, in measure, native
fish, occurring in public waters as we'll as IN
private enclosures. The carp, as known
in France and England is, as stated, an
inferior kind, but in Germany by a process
Of careful breeding, several varieties have
been developed. Thus while the original
stock is covered with large scales, much in
proportion like those Of the western BufTa-
10 fish, variety was first developed in
which many Of the scales had disappeared,
leaving here and there patches on the sur
face. These are known as the Mirror carp.
Still further breeding produced fish hav-
ing scarcely any scales, only a few here
and there. These are the Leather carp.
The three varieties, however, as imported
by MS, are all Of first class excellence, and
characterized by broad backs, as distin-
guished from the sharp back aud more
bony character Of the common fish. They
occupy conspicuous place in the Ger
man fish markets, and bring the same
price as the trout, selling generally for
about twenty five cents per pound.
Its special merit lies in the fact Of its
sluggishness and the ease with which it is
kept in very limited enclosure, it being a
vegetable feeder, and its general inoffen-
siyness. Whereas, trout and black bass re-
quire a supply Of animal food for their sus-
tenance and growth, the carp, not disdain-
ing flies, worms, larvB, etc. live on the sue
culent roots and leaves Of aquatic plants,
their seeds, as they fall into the water,
and other similar substances, and may be
fed very readily upon corn, grain, bread,
root crops, raw or boiled, and, indeed, any
vegetable refuse whatever. It's rate Of
growth, too is something marvellous and
as observed so far in the specimens intro
duced into the United States, being even
more remarkable here than in Europe.
Among the original fish imported by us
from Europe, and which are now only
about three and half years old, are from
two feet to two feet and one half in length.
weighing from four to eight or nine
pounds.
They spawn early in the spring, in May
and June. and indeed, under some circum-
stances, throughout the entire summer.
We have young fish that spawned all the
way from May to September. They are
very prolific, the female laying from 50,
600 to 500, 900 eggs according to her size.
The eggs adhere tenaciously to whatever
they touch, and for that reason it is very
important that the new pond should be
provided with floating seeds for such
attachment. The eggs hatch out in few
days, and the young grow very rapidly.
They feed voraciously upon the so.called
frog spittle. the green alga scum so com
mon in irog-ponds, Consequently such
water is especially adapted to carp. When
ever the water becomes chilled down to
perhaps forty degrees, and especially when
frozen oyer at the top, the fish bury them
selves in the mud, congregating in lots
of from fifty to one hundred, frequently
with their tails projecting, and constitu-
ting what is called in Germany kettles or
roses. 1t is very important that they
should not be disturbed under such cir
cumstances. OF course, while alternating
in this way they are not feeding, although
they are said not to lose appreciably IN
weight. In the more southern regions,
where the waters do not freeze, they will
probably feed throughout the year, and
make a more raDil growth