Prussian carp

(earlier Carassius auratus gibelio)

• Other names

  Silver Prussían carp, Gibel carp

• Similar species

  carp, crucian carp

• Size

  10–35 cm.

• Appearance

  A deep bodied and stocky carp with a long dorsal fin. Closely resembles the crucian carp of Finland’s lakes. However, its scales are slightly larger, with 27–32 along the lateral line (crucian carp 31–35). The tail of the Prussian carp is more forked than that of the crucian carp.

• Colouring

  Overall silvery colouring (also known as the silver Crucian carp), sometimes slightly yellowish, whereas the crucian carp is more like burnished gold. The most reliable distinction is the colour of the membrane lining the body cavity, which in the Prussian carp is black but in the crucian carp is light coloured.

• Reproduction

  Spawns in summer in warm water in shallow bays.

• Food

  Bottom-living organisms.

• Distribution and habitat

  One of the most recent species to arrive in Finland. Originates from Asia, but has been introduced across much of Europe. In the past few decades Prussian carp have spread into brackish water along the Baltic coast and from there into Finland’s coastal waters. Has been caught along the coast of the Gulf of Finland, including the river Vantaa estuary in Helsinki and, from 2009, further west to Turku.

• Harmfulness

  Harmful invasive species.