Carp Fishing

Mirror Carp

The mirror carp was the first mutation of the common carp and its formation is related to two alternative forms of genes, known as the 'S' and the 'N' alleles. Both alleles are paired and may possess a major and a minor version (the minor is recessive). The genetic term for the mirror carp is 'ssnn' (all minor). The actions of the 's' (minor) and the 'N' (major) genes in carp have an effect on a wide scope of traits besides scaling and this is the reason why the mirror carp often has fewer soft rays in the dorsal, ventral and pelvic fins than the common and wild carp. As with all carp, the mirror possesses a number of other genes which account for the fish's body length, mouth positioning, scale pattern and so on, and this is where the terms 'race' and 'strain' have become widely intertwined. Certain mirror carp have been scientifically proven to be capable of attaining higher weights than commons, leathers and linears, and once again, this is related to genetics.


Leather Carp

If you look very carefully at the picture of the leather carp it possesses a few scales and some people may think this makes it a mirror carp. Scientifically, however, a leather carp can possess a few scales, with the principal difference being that the dorsal row of scales is either absent or, if it is present, it is not continuous, showing breaks. Scales are small and absent altogether from the head up to the start of the dorsal fin. Leathers have reduced growth when compared with the commons and mirrors because they have fewer red blood cells. This means the fish also requires a higher volume of oxygen to fill itself up when feeding. The true leather carp is not as hardy as the other varieties and, as well as having fewer dorsal spines than the other types, it frequently shows genetic kink/ deformities in its fins.

Linear Carp

True linear carp have a single row of scales along the lateral line - any variance to this signifies another genetic classification of carp. Like leather carp, linears have restricted maximum growth potential. Generally, both types also grow more slowly than the mirrors and commons (when from the same strain). Another classic feature of the linear and leather carp is their more intensive fat metabolism. Fat amasses more quickly in both types during the summer time and is also utilized in greater amounts during the winter. The delayed growth of the linear and leather carps is often related to the reduced amount of gill organs/rakers in the fish as well as the decreased number of pharyngeal teeth they possess - both types have two rows (sometimes only one) compared with the three rows of the common and mirror types.