What are the differences between crucian carp and carp? – Authoritative article

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What are the differences between crucian carp and carp?

Both crucian carp and carp are commonly eaten fish, and both have high nutritional value. For example, carp has good therapeutic effects, eating carp can strengthen the spleen and stomach, can clear heat and detoxify, and can supplement rich nutrition such as protein, but many people do not know whether it is better to eat carp or crucian carp, so the following introduces the differences between these two types of fish.

1. Differences in body length

1. The carp is slightly larger, generally 30-40 cm long, flattened on both sides, with a round abdomen, slightly raised at the front of the dorsal fin, with a horseshoe-shaped mouth, with a pair of labial whiskers and mandibular whiskers, the latter being twice as long as the former, with short gill bars and pharyngeal teeth.

2. While the crucian carp is generally 15-20 cm long, with a flattened body side, a raised back, high and wide, a round abdomen, a short and small head, a rounded and blunt snout, without labial whiskers and mandibular whiskers, fine gill rakers, with pharyngeal teeth, large scales, and a very distinct lateral line.

2. Differences in fish fins

The scales of the carp are large and round, with a pair of pectoral and pelvic fins, one dorsal fin, one pelvic fin, and a forked caudal fin. Like the carp, the crucian carp also has a pair of pectoral and pelvic fins, one dorsal fin, one pelvic fin, and a forked caudal fin, with spines on the dorsal and pelvic fins, and the last spine has a lead tooth.

3. Differences in body color

The back of the carp is gray-black, with the area below the lateral line being nearly light yellow (some are black), the ventral side is white, and the dorsal fin is slightly blackened. The back of the crucian carp is blue-brown, the ventral side is silver gray, and all fins are gray-white, but the body color varies due to different growing waters.

Through the above introduction to the differences between crucian carp and carp, we now know what the differences are between crucian carp and carp. Both crucian carp and carp are common fish in our daily life. Carp is also known as carp拐子, carp子, etc., originally from Asia, later introduced to Europe, North America and other regions. Crucian carp is also known as crucian carp瓜子, crucian carp月仔, crucian carp土鲫, etc., and is a common freshwater fish in the Eurasian region.

Four, distinguish in this way:

1. Look at the ‘whiskers’

The edges of the carp’s mouth are like a cat’s with two pairs of small ‘whiskers’, of course, they are not whiskers, but labial whiskers and mandibular whiskers, while the crucian carp does not have them on the edge of its mouth.

2. Look at the mouth

The lips of the carp are very full, looking as if there is a lot of meat, but the lips of the crucian carp are thin with little meat.

3. Look at the scales

The crucian carp has a very distinct lateral line on the side of its scales, while the carp has large, round scales that are not as orderly as those of the crucian carp.

4. Look at the color

The back of the crucian carp is a blue-brown color, while the ventral side is silvery gray; the carp has a gray-black color, with the lateral line below being light yellow and white at the abdomen, with the dorsal fin slightly blackened.