Fish, carp family
Silver carp
- Maximum length
- 130cm
- Maximum weight
- 50kg
- Best water temperature
- 18–28 °C
- Water today (4.0 °C)
- Tolerates it, but slowed down
About the species Silver carp
How to recognise it
Very tiny scales, upper mouth and eyes set low near the underside of the head. Silver body.
Where it lives
Large still waters and reservoirs. Originates from East Asia.
What it feeds on
Algae (phytoplankton), which it filters through its gills.
Spawning
It does not reproduce naturally here; populations are maintained by stocking.
It rarely takes a hook because it feeds on plankton.
Closed season, minimum size and daily limit
What the Fisheries Act says about silver carp. For guidance only; check it in the fishing regulations of the district.
Minimum size
§ 12 of the Decree45 cm
below the size limit: return it to the waterfrom the size limit: you may keep it
You must not keep a fish shorter than 45 cm. The total length is measured from the front of the head to the end of the longest ray of the tail fin (§ 12, para. 4). The district user may raise the size; the one in the permit and the fishing regulations applies.
Summary of Act no. 216/2018 Coll. and Decree no. 381/2018 Coll. (as of 6 Nov 2026). It may be out of date or contain an error, and exceptions apply on some waters. The permit and the fishing regulations of the district are binding. The fishing law, rule by rule.
Water temperature and requirements
At what temperature the species is active and how well today's water suits it.
Tolerates it, but slowed downTypical water in Slovakia is 4.0 °C today. The species tolerates this temperature (4 to 30 °C), but the water is colder than the ideal 18 to 28 °C. Fish tend to be slower and pickier.
- tolerates 4 to 30 °C
- best 18 to 28 °C
- spawning at 18 to 26 °C
- typical water today 4.0 °C
- Length
- up to 130 cm
- Weight
- up to 50 kg
- Oxygen
- Typical oxygen requirements
- Position in the food chain
- 2,0plants and small animals
The values are indicative and come from the FishBase database. In a particular water, fish behave according to the weather, air pressure, oxygen and food.
Where it was recorded
Fishing districts around which a record of this species exists (GBIF).
We do not yet have records of this species at any fishing district. The data are supplemented from the GBIF database.
Similar species
Photo credits
- Silver carp: Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bighead carp: Photo: Dezidor, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Grass carp: Photo: Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Minimum sizes, protection periods and permitted fishing methods are set by the fishing regulations and the conditions of the specific fishing district. Check them before you fish.