Want to know how to identify a giant grass carp swimming past you? Look for large gray-green fish near aquatic plants that lack barbels by mouth and have protruding eyes instead.
No small scales on this over 3 foot long torpedo-shaped vegetation grazer either. This guide shares clear visual clues telling real grass carp apart from common cousins.
What is a Grass Carp?
The grass carp is a large fish belonging to the carp family. It is also called the white amur. Originally, grass carp are from Eastern Asia rivers. They come from countries like China and Russia.
In many areas, grass carp have been introduced outside their native home. They are released into local waters on purpose to help control and reduce the amount of aquatic plants and weeds.
Grass carp feed mainly on vegetation. They eat all types of vegetation including tough underwater grasses and reeds. That’s why they are called grass carp.
They can grow very big in size. Adult grass carp normally reach lengths of 1 meter (3+ feet) long. Their body weight also gets very heavy. A fully grown grass carp can weigh over 30 kg (65 pounds).
So the grass carp is an introduced Asian carp species that feeds on plants and which grows really large. It controls unwanted vegetation in lakes and rivers around the world.
How To Know A Grass Carp When You See One
Here are some body characteristics for the identification of Grass Carp.
It’s In The Face!
No Whiskers
Grass carp don’t have any barbels (whiskers) hanging around their mouth like other carp species. This makes their face look clean and blank.
Pop-Out Eyes
Their eyes bulge out more on the sides and point a little forward. So grassies appear to be peeping ahead with cute googly eyes!
Silver Soul
Uniform Scales
No big special scales run along the body. Small and smooth silver armor wraps the grass carp.
Green To White
The back and top fins show some faint green to brown hues. But the belly and lower half looks classic white like powdered wig!
Torpedo Of The Pond
Wide Fins
Check out the broad paddle-like tail and top fins with loads of rays to push waters out the way.
Streamlined
From tip to tail, grass carp shape their muscle like missiles to cruise along. No bumpy lumps and bumps on this sleek machine!
So if something greenish silver shoots past with bulgy eyes, no whiskers, a torpedo body but giant fins – yell “Grassie”! Our vegetarian buddy’s in town!
How Grass Carp Behave?
Bedtime Fishies
Grass carp spend most of their hours hugging lake and pond beds above all else. Skimming those fertile underwater meadows while lurking safely away from hawks and herons!
Super Quick
Don’t be fooled by their hefty size though! Grass carp can put pedal to the metal in a split-second if spooked. Just watch that heavy body torpedo off from standstill – so much force behind each tail flick!
Flying Fish!
Another fun fact – give adult grassies enough runway space and they’ll go airborne! That’s right – these chunky hunks leap right out, pulling fancy flips above water even with tiny pectoral fins!
Sounds Scare Them
For all their daunting density as heavyweights, grass carp get frightened by faint noises easily. Passing boats set their senses tingling, sending them darting about erratically.
Safety In Numbers
You’ll hardly meet a lonely grass carp. The young ones especially shoal together by instinct. Probably finding confidence combating currents in packs. Or just having a giggle over their awkward bulging eyeballs!
So now you know about grass carp’s cute, quirky and cautious behavior. They’re gentle giants – maybe keep the motors away so our skittish buddies can keep their wits!
Final Remarks on “How to Identify a Grass Fish?”
So in short, the absence of barbels, protruding eyes, broad tail fins, torpedo-like shape and tendency to startle combine to create a profile unmatched by other species. Looking out for these distinct features will help identify grass carp accurately.