Apparently AC need 77 degree water to spawn. LIFE CYCLE BIOLOGY AND LIFE HISTORY: Bighead carp are exclusivelyfreshwater fish. They prefer large rivers and will not spawn in still water or smallstreams but do inhabit lakes and ponds. Spawning occurs after spring rains have floodedthe rivers and when the temperature of the water reaches 77o F. External fertilizationtakes place and the eggs float downstream. Bighead carp grow rapidly and once theyreach maturity they are able to gain a pound or more per month. They feed onzooplankton but they are opportunistic feeders, meaning if zooplankton levels are lowthey will eat phytoplankton and detritus. They filter the water through their comb-likegill rakers so they only consume those organisms small enough to penetrate their filterfeeding apparatus.