Bighead Carp - The body of a bighead carp is laterally compressed with the top being a dark gray color which grades down to off white on its belly. Its head is comparatively large with no scales and a large terminal mouth. The bighead fish has no teeth and its lower jaw protrudes out farther than its upper jaw. The eyes are situated lower on its head and are positioned downward. The scales of a bighead carp are small and resemble the scales of a trout. This species is very similar to another Asian carp the silver carp but they can be distinguished by the fact that the bighead carp has many dark blotches on its sides and the silver carp does not.

Black Carp - The black carp is a freshwater fish that likes lakes and the bottom of fast moving rivers. They mature at 6 to 11 years of age, after this they reproduce annually. When the water temperature reaches 65.5 degrees F., the water level rises, and there is plenty of food is when the black carp will spawn. They spawn upstream and their eggs travel downstream. A fully mature female black carp is capable of producing 129,000 to 1.18 million eggs each year. When young they feed on zooplankton and fingerlings. As adults their feeding habits change to mollusks, crustaceans, aquatic insects and fish eggs. They have powerful teeth that enable them to crush the shells eat the soft parts and spit the shell out. A 4-year-old black carp is able to eat 3 to 4 lbs of mussels per day

Common Carp - Carp are abundant in most warm water lakes and slow moving streams. The species, a native of Asia, was widely introduced in Europe. They were intentionally introduced to this country by the United States Fish Commission in the late 1880's, being heralded as a new sport and food fish. Hardy and prolific breeders, carp spread from these initial stockings into all of the continental states. They have accidentally invaded lakes and ponds along with stockings of other fish or live bait. They are now well established throughout the US.

Goldfish - Sold in the pet trade or as bait, the goldfish has taken over many American waterways. While apporpriate as a pond fish for garden ponds they quickly out grow most aquariums and are often sadly released by well meaning aquarist who have no clue of the conservation impact. In short order those Goldfish merge with thier common car cousins and cause headaches galore for our native fish.

Grass Carp - The grass carp can occur in lakes, ponds, pools and backwaters of large rivers. It prefers to have large standing or slow-flowing water with vegetation. They are a hearty species that can tolerate temperatures from freezing to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, brackish water, and low oxygen situations. Female carp release their eggs when the water temperature is between 64.5 and 73.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and when the water level is rising. The eggs must remain suspended until they hatch to survive. The maximum age of a grass carp is 21 years old. Grass carp primarily eat aquatic vegetation but they will eat detritus, insects and other invertebrates if vegetation is scarce. It is because they eat aquatic plants that grass carp are frequently stocked as a biological control of vegetation.

Silver Carp - Silver carp are the latest in a series of Exotic Invasive fishes to hit American waterways. These plankton feeders grow to 100 plus pounds and leap out of the water when disturbed. If established they threaten to alter the bottom of the food chain by sucking in all the plankton. Species like Shad will suffer and thus the other species who depend on shad will suffer further. A odd twist to this fish is they may very well end speed boating on the major american rivers. If a boater is hit by a 30 or 40 pound Carp he will be very unlikley even if able to return to the waterways again. Boating could quickly become a life threatining experience.