How do Carp Digest their Food?

To explain why certain baits are attractive to carp, we need to understand something about its digestive system. Inside the carp's mouth, the buccal cavity is lined with a folded membrane with tough ridges. The mucosa is covered in microscopic projections called papillae and is richly provided by mucus goblet cells and taste buds. The palatal taste organ on the top of the mouth traps the food against the bottom of the mouth. Non-food items are expelled through the gills. Larger items are spat out. Approximately 97% of what the carp takes in is ejected. At the back of the mouth are the pharyngeal teeth. These are aligned in three rows on each side of the mouth, with three teeth in the innermost row and one tooth each in the two outer rows. The teeth are positioned below a tough calcified pad. Food is ground between it and the pharyngeal teeth. The duct which carries the ground up food to the intestine and receptive sack is called the oesophagus. It is lined with tastebuds to taste the fragmented food prior to ingestion. A dense bed of cilia and goblet cells aid the passage of the selected food material through this area.

Unlike many other animals, carp do not have a stomach. Digestion takes place in the intestine, which is twice the length of its body. Different enzymes are secreted by the pancreas along the intestine. Trypsin and chymotrypsin are used to break down protein. The system works best if it is able to process a steady supply of food. This is why carp are constantly rooting around for something to eat. Anglers should take advantage of this by feeding them small amounts of food on a regular basis.

Carp cannot digest all foods efficiently. They might eat bread and sweet corn, but it is difficult for them to digest them. Fibre, especially grass and alfalfa meal, is important as it allows the intestine to grip the food and keep it moving. Worms, insect larvae and fresh vegetable matter are only partly digested and serve as roughage to keep the intestine active and healthy. Carp will also ingest silt and other indigestible detritus to bulk out their diet.

Retrieved from "http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/how-do-carp-digest-their-food-4745748.html"

(ArticlesBase SC #4745748