Silver Carp: Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

Silver carp [Hypophthalmichthys molitrix] is naturally inhabitant of main river system of south and central China and in the Amur Basin. It is has been introduced throughout the Indo-pacific region including South-Asia as well as Bangladesh. It is a cultured highly growing exotic species of Bangladesh. It is a surface dweller and herbivorous fish, mainly plankton feeder in adult stage and zooplankton feeder in early stages of life. It accepts major supplementary feed like oil-cakes, rice bran etc. The fecundity range from 1,45,000 to 2,44,000 has been found from this fish (Alikunhi et al., 1963). It attains sexual maturity within 2-6 years in China but in Bangladesh within it matures very early, within 2 years. It usually grows over

1.5 kg within a single year and after two year it may weight 4.5 kg in composite fish culture pond. It does not breed in pond, but the technique of hypophysation they are induced to breed in carp hatchery in monsoon season. The maximum recorded total length 105 cm and weight 50 kg (Fishbase, 2009). In Bangladesh, it is a cheap protein source of a large number of all levels of people.

References:

• Alikunhi KH, Sukumaran KK and Parameswaranam S, 1963. Induced spawning of the Chinese grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus (C. & V.) and the silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (C. & V.) in ponds at Cuttack, India. Proc. Indo-Pacific Fish Counc., 10(2): 181-204.
• Fishbase, 2009e. Species summary of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. Downloaded from  http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=274&genusn ame=Hypophthalmichthys&speciesname=molitrix  on dated 04 August 2009.

Acknowledgement:
Md. Abul Bashar for providing a photograph of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix.

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