Fun African Carp Facts For Kids

The African carp fish may usually be used as a common name for many other genera of fish belonging to the carp family.

However, we are specifically going to focus on the Tana labeo, or Labeo mesops, a species of ray-finned fish from the family of Cyprinidae. The fish is native to southern Africa and prefers to live in rivers, like the Cross River, and freshwater lakes.

Due to the high rates of overfishing and loss of habitats, the fish faces critical danger to its existence and has been seen depleting according to recent data.

It belongs to the class of Actinopterygii or ray-finned fishes, and derives its name from the Latin word, 'labeo', which stands for 'the one who has large lips', also from the Greek word, 'mesops', meaning 'middle and half', and finally the word 'opsis', meaning 'for sight', overall the name refers to a state of the material the fish is made up of.

It is a freshwater species, found foraging for food in the bottom, and is widely spread throughout southern Africa.

It is a small fish and is usually bred for its commercial, aquaculture, and experimental use, seen around aquariums and similar spaces.

If you love reading about fishes then check out our codfish facts andsuckerfish facts. 

African Carp Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an African carp?

The African carp (Labeo mesops) is a type of fish from the family of carps, under the genus species Labeo. 

What class of animal does an African carp belong to?

The African carp (Labeo mesops) belong to the class of Actinopterygii under the genus species, Labeo of the animal kingdom.

How many African carps are there in the world?

The current population count of African carp (Labeo mesops) remains unknown.

Where does an African carp live?

The African carp (Labeo mesops) is native to the South African continent, mostly found in abundance in locations of the Lake Malawi basin, Juba system, Ruvuma river, Tana river, Lufira river, upper Congo river basin, the Nile River, Chad, Niger-Bénoué,  Volta, Senegal, Gambia, and the Cross River.

They have also been reported in coastal rivers in Cameroon, and the Congo River basin.

What is an African carp's habitat?

African carps (African carp) are spread across many drainage and water basins around the African continent. It is found in shallow waters over sandy bottoms being a bottom feeder. Usually found around the bio-cover and sediments in the sand. They have been depleting in areas of undisturbed soil where the silt development might be preventing their breeding environment. 

Who do African carp live with?

African carp (Labeo mesops) live within their school of fish.

How long does an African carp live?

The expected lifespan of an African carp (Labeo mesops) is estimated to be about 20 years or less. 

How do they reproduce?

The carp (Labeo mesops) conducts a sexual reproduction process where the spawning behavior is similar to its parent breed. The breeding season typically begins from spring to early summer annually in tropical environments.

The African carp eggs are spawned in small swampy locations around wet seasonal rivers and tend to hold their spawn until the rivers are flooded so that they can leave the water and run up the river for successful spawning, as there have been reports of unsuccessful spawning due to silt developments in the bottom. 

What is their conservation status?

Due to habitat loss and a decline in their population as a result of overfishing, the species falls under the class of Critically Endangered, according to the IUCN Red List. 

African Carp Fun Facts

What do African carp look like?

We've been unable to source an image of an African carp and have used an image of a Japanese Koi instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of an African carp, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

The African carp is an endemic species to the African subcontinent. It is a small fish found in freshwater lakes and river basins.

The fish has a total of 15-19 scales of dorsal soft rays, 8-11 anal soft rays, and 31-33 vertebrates. The fish's dorsal profile is slightly arched or straight with distinct margins of the dorsal fin that may be straight or convex in shape.

It has a dull and dark body with a  poorly developed rostral lobe of smooth margins while its inner lips have transverse folds. The gill contains about four and a half scales between its pelvic fin base and lateral line while its caudal peduncle has 16-18 scales, and its dorsal fin with branched rays consists of 12-15 scales.

How cute are they?

The fish are not at all cute if you compare them to other cute animals like guinea pigs, as they do not have any distinct features appearance-wise and look quite dull. 

How do they communicate?

Being vertebrates and otoliths, the carps have been reported to talk to each other. They have excellent hearing abilities and can detect sounds like acoustic signals along with being able to side-scan radars. This overall capacity enables them to be aware of what is happening around their surroundings and convey the same to their school.

How big is an African carp?

An African carp can grow up to a length of 29.52 in (75 cm).

How fast can an African carp swim?

An African carp can swim at an average rate of 40 mph (64.37 kph) when threatened.

How much does an African carp weigh?

The average weight of an African carp is about 11.02 lb (5 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names given to the fishes depending on their sex.

What would you call a baby African carp?

A baby African carp may be referred to as fry. 

What do they eat?

Their choice of food consists of sediment feeders such as detritus, melosira, rotaria, phytoplankton, and volvocaceae. 

Are they dangerous?

No, not at all. They are not harmful or dangerous. 

Would they make a good pet?

They are not appropriate to be pets as they are Crictically Endangered due to habitat loss and overfishing.

Did you know...

Common carps are not at all good for the environment, as they are invasive in nature leading to the consumption of indigenous fish and aquatic life due to their unwanted spreading and food habits. They degrade water quality and destroy habitats for many amphibians and waterfowl. They also release sediment toxins and algal blooms.  

Similarly, black carps, Labeo coubie, are not good for water bodies as they destroy a considerable length of the ecosystem with their invasive behavior that leads to the destruction of habitats for the snail and mussel populations. This sub-order (family) of carps also carries parasites and flukes that may endanger human lives if consumed. 

How many species of carp are there?

The total number of African carp species is more than 30 including the common carp, grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, black carp, mirror carp, Japanese crucian carp, gray snapper, Reba carp, Deccan white carp, and many more. Most of these are oily freshwater fish and come from the family Cyprinidae.

They are mostly native fish to Asia and Europe, with many of them being consumed in many parts of the world. These invasive species are also found in parts of Australia and the United States.

Is a carp a catfish?

People usually misunderstand a carp for being a catfish as they both look quite similar in color and appearance but there are many differences that set these fish apart. The catfish has more whiskers than a carp and these are longer in length as compared to a carp's.

Their fins look different and the scales are much larger than a carp's body. Not to forget that being an angler fish, the size of the catfish is much bigger and heavier than a carp.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish including stingray fun facts and fin whale interesting facts for kids. 

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable African carp coloring pages.