Black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) is a freshwater, brackish species recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan. It is found at depths of 5–30 m. The main season in Hong Kong, Taiwan runs autumn.
Scientific name: Mylopharyngodon piceus · Water: Freshwater, Brackish · Season: Autumn
Size: up to 180 cm
Weight: up to 73.5 kg
The Black carp is a cyprinid and one of the four famous Chinese carps; Taiwan calls it the black snout bream. It is dark-bodied with a fairly pointed head, reaches 180 cm, and as an adult eats almost nothing but molluscs - larvae take zooplankton, then ostracods and aquatic insects, and from about 12 cm they begin on small snails and clams. Adults live in large lowland rivers and lakes, preferring clear, well-oxygenated water. Autumn is the season, it occurs from 5 to 30 m, lives about 13 years, and IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Introduced to Taiwan, it is now stocked in reservoirs, lakes and ponds and is a big-fish target there. A high-value food fish.
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