Carp

The various species of carp have been cultivated for thousands of years in Europe and Asia, and many species, especially the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, and the goldfish, Carassius auratus, have been introduced into freshwater systems throughout the world. That some carp could be easily transported out of water, and survive by being kept moist help accelerate their spread throughout ancient times.

In Europe, the carp is considered a valuable food and sport fish, having been deliberately cultivated since Roman times. In Central Europe, carp are specially prepared as traditional dishes for Christmas dinner, often fried, baked, or made into soup. Carp flesh also forms the base for traditional Jewish gefilte fish. Anglers prize wild carp as wary prey, as they spook easily, and fight strongly when enticed to bite. In the United States, carp are considered invasive, destructive aquatic vermin, and often considered to be inedible “trash fish.” This is because many Americans are rarely patient enough to fillet the many rib bones in carp flesh, and because, in America, carp are often the only fish left in some waterways that have been overfished of all other desirable fish, or are otherwise too polluted to host more desirable fish.

In Chinese Food Therapy, carp has a very similar function to that of catfish, as both fish are used primarily for replenishing nutrients in malnourished patients, promoting lactation in nursing women, and for promoting edema to correct water metabolism imbalances. However, unlike catfish, and stomach qi.