The term carp is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized quarries and are valued as both food and ornamental fish in many parts of the Old World, they are considered trash fish and invasive pests in many parts of Africa, Australia and most of the United States.
1913 illustration of Cyprinus carpio, better known as the common carp
Common carp in Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota
Cyprinus carpio skeleton
Cyprinus rubrofuscus (Amur carp) have been domesticated and bred in Japan since the early 19th century for ornamental purposes in their koi form
Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family, including the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives the barbs and barbels, among others. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family, and the largest vertebrate animal family overall, with about 3,000 species; only 1,270 of these remain extant, divided into about 200 valid genera. Cyprinids range from about 12 mm (0.5 in) in size to the 3 m (9.8 ft) giant barb. By genus and species count, the family makes up more than two-thirds of the ostariophysian order Cypriniformes. The family name is derived from the Greek word kyprînos.
Cyprinidae
Giant barbs (Catlocarpio siamensis) are the largest members of this family.
Rainbow shark, Epalzeorhynchos frenatum, a somewhat aggressive aquarium fish
Acheilognathus longipinnis: Acheilognathinae