Known affectionately by many as the 'Franconian pond cow', carp is a Franconian national dish. In many areas, carp is bred in ponds and prepared in a number of traditional restaurants, usually either cooked in fat or in fish broth. It is quite popular as a food during Lent.

The fish is very tasty, and can be prepared in many different ways; filleted, steamed for casseroles, boiled in soups, etc. In recent years, carp fillet in the form of crispy 'carp chips' has become a highly sought-after menu item. In honor of the carp, the region of Franconia has even developed a special bike path: the Franconian carp bike path runs through a landscape dotted with carp ponds, and provides cyclists with a great deal of information on fisheries and aquaculture in Franconia.

Třeboňský kapr is a carp of the common carp species, reared in fish ponds in the Třeboň Basin, Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area in the Czech Republic. The fish have a dark green, gray or gray-blue back and yellowish-white bellies.

Their bodies are characterized by a high back, and they grow to a size of up to one meter, with a weight of 20 kilograms. However, they are slaughtered when they are three or four years old when their weight ranges from 1,20 to 3,20 kilograms. The meat is of the highest quality and has quite a low content of fat. 

Karp zatorski is a fish hybrid of the Cyprinus carpio species, cultivated by cross-breeding the Karp Zatorski pure line with the Hungarian, Yugoslav, Golysz and Israeli pure lines of fish. The carp is raised in winter ponds feeding on natural food with the addition of cereals, in the Malopolskie Province in Poland.

The fish grow up to 2 kilograms in weight. Their unique features are a curved back, compact shape and an olive green to blue color. Due to their pond-raising, the meat doesn't have any hints of a muddy taste, but is instead delicately fresh and flavorful, with a lower fat content than in standardly marketed fish. 

A product of pond farming with nearly a 1,000 year tradition, Oberpfälzer Karpfen is a variety of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio), which is cultivated on about 3000 farms in the eastern Bavarian Upper Palatinate province. Thanks to the favorable geographical and climatic conditions, Oberpfalz carp fish grow at a slow rate, which results in an easily digestible lean fish rich in proteins and unsaturated fatty acids.

After reaching the minimum weight of 1,000g, the fish are marketed either fresh or smoked. In southern Germany, carp is traditionally enjoyed as Weihnachtskarpfen, or Christmas carp – breaded deep-fried fillets drizzled with lemon juice and served with potato or cucumber salad and rémoulade.

Only brook trout or rainbow trout raised in southwestern Germany near the Schwarzwald mountain range are entitled to the name Schwarzwaldforelle (Black Forest trout). This region has a long tradition of trout farming due to its outstanding cold, oxygen-rich mountain waters.

The lower the temperature of the mountain water, the longer it takes for the trout to reach the targeted size and firmness. This slow, natural growth and the quality of the feed given to the trout is the reason why they have such a distinctive taste. 

Inhabiting the pure waters of Lake Constance, or Bodensee as they call it in Germany, fellchen is a type of common white fish whose natural habitat includes Siberian streams and Alpine lakes. With a shade of green or olive down its spine and streaks of bright silver on its sides, this freshwater fish has a long body that reaches up to 50 or 60 cm and is characterized by a fairly solid flesh and very few bones.

Often referred to as märane in Northern Germany and renke in Bavaria, the fish is considered a culinary specialty of the region, celebrated during a food festival that takes place on the German shore, featuring fellchen and other fish from the lake. 

Traditionally prepared during Lent as a meat substitute, the Aischgründer mirror carp is an extremely healthy fish, high in Omega-3 fatty acids and proteins and low in calories. The carp are reared for about three years or until they reach the desired weight (adult fish can weigh up to 30kg) and their meat attains its special flavor.

Every year from September to April, all regional restaurants participating in an Aischgründer Karpfenschmecker festival offer a variety of carp specialties, serving delicious carp breaded in beer batter, braised in wine stock, or prepared as carp sausage.

Pohořelický kapr is a fish with an excellent growth capacity, high back and a small head, produced in the Břeclav and Znojmo districts in the South Moravian region in the Czech Republic. The carp is characterized by its outstanding resistance and health and has a firm, consistent muscle meat.

Its colors range from pink to red and it has a fresh fish smell and delicate taste. The carp is also highly valued for its culinary properties and cooking quality. Fish farming has been present in the region since the 13th century, where the excellent climatic conditions, water temperature and long growing season favorably influence the fish production. 

Carp from the Oberlausitz region are among the most environmentally-friendly farmed freshwater fish. The natural ponds of Oberlausitz, on Germany's border with Poland and the Czech Republic, have been used for fish farming since the Middle Ages.

Particular emphasis is placed on the conservation of the biodiversity of plants and animals in and around these ponds. The carp feed mainly on natural food from the ponds, such as water fleas or small fish. This healthy diet ensures great tasting, high-quality fish.

Organic carp are few in number, so they have plenty of living space within their pond habitats and are able to find more natural food.