Silver carp
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Also known asAsian carp · Flying carp
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 3000 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 25% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 1.50% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.60% of body weight
- Max density
- 25 g per litre
A 4000 g adult eats about 60.0 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~600 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States (federal) | federally listed injurious | Listed under Lacey Act as Injurious; live possession and interstate transport prohibited nationwide source verified 2026-05-13 |
| European Union (bloc) | check local regulations | Established and naturally reproducing in parts of Europe (e.g. Danube). Could not confirm inclusion on the EU list of invasive alien species of Union concern (Reg 1143/2014) as of this check; member-state regulation varies. verified 2026-05-29 |
| New South Wales | prohibited | verified 2026-05-13 |
| Queensland | prohibited | verified 2026-05-13 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
Native to the large Pacific-draining rivers of East Asia, from the Amur on the Russia-China border south to the Xi Jiang, or Pearl, system and into northern Vietnam. It is a filter-feeding cyprinid that strains phytoplankton from the water with fine, fused gill rakers, eating huge volumes of microscopic algae; paired with bighead carp, which takes zooplankton, it forms the filter-feeding half of classic Chinese polyculture and is one of China's 'four famous domestic fishes.' The fish grows to about 105 cm and 50 kg. Output is enormous: world aquaculture passed 4.8 million tonnes in 2019, almost all of it in China, which puts silver carp among the most-produced fish on the planet by weight. In its native range it has declined enough to be listed as Near Threatened, even as it is farmed at vast scale. In North America it is an infamous invader: fish that escaped into the Mississippi basin now form dense populations and leap into the air when startled by boat motors, hurting boaters and wrecking gear.
Climate and outdoor ponds
- Climate
- temperate (handles seasonal swings)
- USDA zones
- 3–12 (winter low around -40°C or warmer)
- Heating needed
- no
- Cooling needed
- no
Care notes
A phytoplankton filter feeder that will not take pelleted feed, which makes it a poor fit for conventional aquaponics. Silver carp need water rich enough in algae to feed them, meaning fertilised ponds or productive lakes; in a clean, well-filtered aquaponics loop they would simply starve. In extensive pond systems where green water is managed rather than prevented, they earn their keep as living filters, turning surplus phytoplankton into flesh. They do best in warm water in the mid to high 20s Celsius and grow fast in productive water, perhaps 1–3 kg in 12 to 18 months. The regulatory picture is the real barrier. In the United States the species has been listed as injurious under the Lacey Act since 2007, so live fish, eggs and hybrids cannot be imported or moved across state lines without a permit, and agencies spend heavily on invasive-carp control in the Mississippi basin. In parts of Europe the fish is established and breeding in the Danube; whether it falls under the EU invasive-species regulation should be checked locally, since member-state rules vary. Where it is both legal and ecologically appropriate, mainly China and parts of Asia, silver carp is a high-volume, near-zero-feed-cost protein source. It is not advisable for Western aquaponics.