Food-grade fish · warm-water · omnivore

Mud carp

Cirrhinus molitorella

Also known asLing (Cantonese) · Dace-carp

beginner warm-water 40% dress-out

Plan a system with Mud carp

Harvest weight

2000 g

45 cm long

Days to harvest

270–540

from fingerling

Feed protein

28%

Optimum temp

27°C

Water parameters

Temperature

0°C10°C20°C30°C

15–32°C

45.578.5

6.5–8

Hardness

0102030

3–15 dGH

Minimum tank: 800 L per individual at harvest size.

Feed and growth

Feed protein: 28% target
Daily feed (warm): 2.50% of body weight
Daily feed (cool): 1.00% of body weight
Max density: 40 g per litre

A 2000 g adult eats about 50.0 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~500 g daily.

Origin and habitat

Native to freshwater rivers and lakes in southern China and Vietnam. The species (Cirrhinus molitorella) is a bottom-feeding cyprinid that consumes detritus, algae, and organic matter from muddy substrates. Adults reach 50–60 cm and 2–4 kg. Mud carp is an important aquaculture species in southern China and Hong Kong, where it's one of the traditional polyculture species alongside grass carp, bighead carp, and silver carp. Annual production in China is substantial. The flesh is white, mild, and relatively bony, consumed steamed or in soups. The common name refers to the fish's habit of feeding in muddy bottom substrates rather than to any muddy flavor in the flesh (when raised in clean water, the taste is clean and mild).

Climate and outdoor ponds

warm-water species

Heating required in temperate

Cooling required in temperate

Climate: subtropical (tolerates mild cooling)
USDA zones: 8–13 (winter low around -12°C or warmer)
Heating needed: yes
Cooling needed: no

Care notes

A warm-water bottom-feeding species for polyculture aquaponics, primarily relevant in southern Chinese and Southeast Asian aquaculture traditions. Temperature range: 18–32°C, optimal at 24–30°C. Growth: 0.5–1.5 kg in 12-18 months on commercial carp pellet (25-30% protein) or in fertilized ponds with natural bottom detritus and periphyton. FCR on pellet is 1.5-2.5. In traditional Chinese polyculture, mud carp fills the bottom-feeding niche similar to mrigal in Indian systems or common carp in European polyculture: it consumes detrital food that other species miss, improving overall system feed efficiency and reducing waste accumulation on the tank or pond floor. Stocking density in monoculture: 10-20 g/L. In polyculture, mud carp are typically stocked at 10-20% of total biomass alongside grass carp (macrophyte feeder), bighead carp (zooplankton filter feeder), and silver carp (phytoplankton filter feeder). Water quality requirements are moderate: DO above 3 mg/L, pH 6.5-8.5, ammonia below 2 mg/L. Mud carp are hardy and disease-resistant in well-managed systems. Fingerlings are available from hatcheries in southern China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam at low cost. The species is not widely known or cultured outside East and Southeast Asia, and market recognition in Western countries is zero. For Western aquaponics operators, common carp or channel catfish serve the same bottom-feeding function with far better local market acceptance.