Carp lay a prodigious number of eggs and
will breed readily in a well-balanced pond.
The fish itself is deep bodied with large scales
and there are two barbels attached to each
side of the mouth. It is perhaps our hardiest
fish, being capable of withstanding great
changes of temperature and of living for a
considerable time out of the water.
The Crucian Carp.
Although inclined to be
somewhat sluggish, this carp is ideal for the
pond. Hardy and well coloured, it is deeper
bodied than the common carp. The colour
is a brassy-green and there are no barbels
on the mouth.
The Prussian Carp.
A similar fish in all
respects to the former, of which it is considered,
by some experts, to be only a variety. The
body is lean and slender.
The Kollar Carp.
This hybrid of the
Common and the Crucian Carp is highly
esteemed as a pond fish, being vigorous and
adaptable. As it feeds principally on vegeta-
tion it should not be introduced until the plants
are well established; in any case it will
appreciate an occasional lettuce leaf, as will
most of the carp kind.
The Leather Carp.
The scales of this fish
set it apart from its relations-they are either
absent or distributed untidily here and there,
usually at the base of the fins. The body is
covered with a thick, leathery skin, smooth
to the touch and olive-green in colour. The
leather carp does not attain a very great size
for this reason, and owing to its inconspicuous
colour is of more interest in the aquarium.
The Mirror Carp.
This is a similar kind of
fish, except that the scales, when present, are
ranged in a gleaming row along the lateral
line ; sometimes along the back. It is the
best of all the carps for the table and provides
a'considerable source of income to fish breeders
in Central Europe. Ideal for large ponds and
lakes.
*Hi Goi, or Japanese Golden Carp. This
variety of the common carp is, perhaps, the
most strikingly beautiful of all pond fishes.
The colour may be white (so-called ' pearl'),
yellow, orange or red. They grow rapidly
and are quite hardy, but they should not have
a winter out of doors until they are at least
four inches in length. Although the colora-
tion closely resembles that of the goldfish,
they may be recognised by the more slender
shape and the two pairs of barbels depending
from the mouth. For centuries this fish has
been popular in Japan, from which country it
came originally.
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