Giant carp

Giant carp were a species of giant fish native to Kara-Tur.

Description
The giant carp is covered in shiny gold scales. It had a large dorsal fin and a muscular tail fin. Often the pectoral and pelvic fins of a giant carp are tattered, due to chafing as the giant carp searched for food among rocks. It had a large mouth filled with sharp teeth.

Combat
Giant carp are acquiescent and often harmless, but when provoked they have been known to attack boats or swimming humanoids. They are aggressive towards other creatures when feeding or spawning. It's main form of attack was by biting a target, and they were able to swallow a small to medium sized humanoid whole.

Ecology
Giant carp lived in freshwater lakes and rivers across Kara-Tur. They spent most of their time searching for food, eating the organic matter that settled at the bottom of lakes and rivers. When the opportunity arose, they supplemented their died by eating insects, crustaceans, amphibians, snakes and plankton. The giant carp had a lifespan of 50 years, and reached sexual maturity at about 10 years of age. A female giant carp would lay thousands of eggs to be fertilized at a time.

Uses
Across Kara-Tur, the giant carp is a symbol of wealth and perseverance. It is often caught at a young age and sold to noble families or temples, and placed in a courtyard pond. Kara-Turan superstition stated that a giant carp would protect wealth. They are fished for their meat by several Kara-Turan races. This was a dangerous task since the giant carp would fight to defend itself. As a single mature giant carp could sustain a small village for a few weeks if the meat was smoked, fishing for giant carp was considered worth the risk.