Mirror, Mirror ....

A shoal of fish was feeding by the landing stage in our neighbour's lake this morning. I don't know much about fish, I presumed that they're carp. I did a bit of research and I think that they're mirror carp. I have heard the name but was very interested to read more about them.

Common carp were brought to the UK in the Middle Ages and have scales all over their bodies but it is thought that mirror carp, a mutation of the common carp, were bred by monks as fewer scales make them easier to prepare for the table. As far as anglers are concerned, because their bodies are partially scaled, every fish is unique and recognisable. They're called mirror carp because their scales look like mirrors.