Siamese giant carp

Name, origin and identification

Catlocarpio siamensis is listed by Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes in the Mae Klong, Chao Phraya and Mekong basins of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. FishBase places it in Cyprinidae, the carp family. Taxonomy and distribution; species profile.

FishBase describes a very large head and an absence of barbels. It associates the species with large rivers, pools and seasonally flooded habitats. Use those characteristics as a starting point, not as a complete identification key for every photograph.

How big is a 100lb carp?

A 100lb carp weighs about 45.4 kg. The number describes a weight, not a species or an automatic record. A Siamese giant carp is Catlocarpio siamensis; common carp are Cyprinus carpio, listed separately in the IGFA fish database. Their catches need to be compared within the correct species.

Guinness identifies the Siamese giant carp as the largest carp species. That helps explain the attraction of these fish, but it does not tell you the usual size at a particular lake or prove that a photographed catch is a record.

Beyond 100 lb: the carp in our family album

During Vinny and Finlay’s May–June 2024 Palm Tree Lagoon trip, family posts reported separate carp at 154 lb and 198 lb. The 198 lb fish was named The Warrior in Sam’s post. These are reported weights from our posts, without separate weighing records reviewed. See the photographs and dated posts in our Palm Tree Lagoon trip album.

Big Girl is a different fish, with her own history. Our biggest carp and world-record explanation separates the venue’s previous 252 lb figure from Vinny’s 2024 catch and the estimate he recalls.

Wild fish and managed fisheries

FishBase reports the species as Critically Endangered, citing an IUCN assessment dated 5 April 2011. That assessment date matters; the date we read a database is not the date its assessment was made. Conservation entry.

A photographed fish in a managed lake is not evidence of a healthy wild population. Keep the place and context of each catch clear. This introduction does not recommend targeting wild populations.

Learning about the fishing

Begin with a venue-specific briefing. Ask how the guide identifies a carp-focused rig, how its bait differs from another rod in the swim and how to respond to a take. Record what you learn with the venue and date so it does not become a universal prescription.

Explore the Palm Tree Lagoon guide and Bungsamran guide for operator information. Current availability and capture cannot be guaranteed by a species page.

Documenting Vinny’s carp

The world’s biggest carp: read Vinny and Big Girl’s story ↗

Vinny caught Big Girl at Palm Tree Lagoon on 1 June 2024, sharing the moment in his Facebook announcement that day. The venue’s June report names him and calls the fish the world’s biggest carp. Our story brings together his memories of fishing with Finlay, photographs, footage and the venue’s report.

The previously reported 252 lb weight is attributed to the venue. A weight from Vinny’s session has not been established, and the reviewed evidence does not establish a newly certified world record. The case study explains what each source supports.

Read our editorial approach and the fish-care introduction.