It is believed that the common
river carp originated in the Caspian & Black sea area. Carp
were traded and carried father and farther from their original location
because of their ability to survive in many different types of climates
and waterways.
Common river carp have been raised for food for thousands of years.
Carp sometimes have natural mutations
of colors including spots or bellies that are red, brown, grey,
light blue/grey, light yellow, and tortoiseshell. Carp farmers all
over the world would have seen these same mutations but only in
the Niigata area of Japan were carp developed and refined successfully
by selective breeding to eventually become what we know today as
living jewels (koi).
