Plump and golden hued carp lives in shallow, eutrophic waters in southern Finland and in low saline gulfs along the coast. On its jaws, it has two pairs of barbels that helps it seek insect larvae, gastropods and other small animals. It spawns during summer months, once water temperatures rise, unfortunately its offspring are unable to grow strong enough to survive their first winter. Due to their low survival rates, carps must be frequently replanted. They can grow to well over 50 centimetres in length and weigh almost 20 kilograms. Depending on the type of carp their scales can vary – for example, the mirror carp is partly bald and the few scales it does have are large.
