Leather Carp Natural History
Size
This fish can reach lengths of around 1.2m.
Habitat and Distribution
These fish can be found almost all around the world where they have been released in to fisheries and also public water ways due to their huge popularity amongst fishermen.
Age
The average lifespan of these fish seems to be around 20 years however 40 to 50 year old specimens have been recorded.
Diet
The majority of the diet of this fish is made up of insects, crustaceans, fish spawn, small fish and aquatic vegetation.
Groups and Breeding
These fish breed by the females releasing her eggs into the water which the males then fertilise. They do so by releasing their sperm into the water in the same area.
Threats
This species is not threatened, with a large number of their population living in controlled fishing lakes where caught fish are released again after weighing.
Interesting Facts
Leather Carp can be identified by their lack of scales and leathery skin. Although, they generally have a row of scales along the dorsal line and it’s rare for one to have no scales at all.
The Leather Carp During Your Day Out in Kent
The Leather Carp at Wingham Wildlife Park live in our large lake next to the big cats and in the smaller lake at the entrance of the park. They often swim to the surface when visitors use our dispensers to feed them along with Mirror Carp and Ghost Carp.