ASmallCuteCat's Space Carp Headcanons

[ASmallCuteCat]

I just think they're neat, and so I spent several hours coming up with silly little headcanons for them. I've toyed with the idea of submitting this as a lore canonization app, but for now I'll just keep it in Fan Fiction as I'm not sure what the standards for lore canonization are. This is just something I did for fun.

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Space Carp

Cyprinidae carpio astra
Conservation status: Least Concern

An omnivorous, space-faring creature that closely resembles a fish.

Like most carp native to Earth, the Space Carp has a robust build, though its physiology is more suited to survival in space rather than water. Space Carps are generally purple in color, ranging from deep violet to shades of almost pink magenta. Their bodies are covered in rough, thick scales, which protect them from space debris as well as ionizing radiation. Although Space Carp are capable of surviving in hard vacuum, they possess gill slits, suggesting the ability to survive underwater. Space Carps have two pairs of faintly bioluminescent blue eyes.

Both the presence and absence of gravity, whether natural or artificial, appear to have no impact on Space Carp wellbeing or locomotion. Researchers have not yet discovered the method behind Space Carp antigravity.

The fins of a space carp are slender and elongated, with the pectoral fins ending in a sharp, keratinous point. The dorsal fin is short and stubby. Unlike the tail of Earth carps, the tail of a Space Carp resembles the tail of a whale. It is forked in a Y-shape and exhibits vertical motion as the animal swims, rather than the left-right motion of most carp.

The most well-known feature of Space Carps is their teeth. Like sharks, Space Carps regrow teeth throughout their lives, quickly growing new ones to replace any that are broken or lost. Their teeth are capable of shredding effortlessly through organic matter, rock, and even metal. Carp teeth commonly protrude outside of their mouth, giving off the appearance of having tusks or fangs. Short horns, made of the same substance as their teeth, grow from the top of the carp's head.

Like most fish, Space Carp reproduce by spawning. A female will find a suitable, sheltered crag in an asteroid or other large structure (such as a space station or starship) to lay her eggs, which will later be fertilized by a male. After one month, the eggs will hatch.

Baby space carps (sometimes called 'fry') bear only slight resemblance to the adult of their species. Their bodies are similar in shape to that of a wingless diona nymph, with a large head, plump body, and pointed, stubby tail. Space Carp fry lack the keratinous points on their pectoral fins, as well as the cranial horns. In addition, fry only have a single pair of eyes, and will develop the secondary pair as they reach maturity. Upon hatching, the average fry is between 10 and 16 centimeters from the snout to the tip of the tail.

Space Carp fry receive no parental care after hatching. A nest will generally stay around the location where they hatched, feeding off whatever they can scavenge until nothing but dust remains. Afterwards, the juvenile carp will move on, sometimes forming a school of their own, or merging with another carp school if their migratory paths collide.

Surprisingly, Space Carp are capable of simple vocalizations, even though sound cannot travel in their native habitat. Carp fry can produce a brief gurgling sound, though it is unclear what the purpose of these vocalizations are. Domesticated adult carp have also been recorded "glubbing", whereas wild carp are often completely silent.

Space Carps are known for their aggression and destructive tendencies. However, numerous accounts of tame or even domesticated Space Carps exist. Taming Space Carps is a difficult endeavor as the adults are so aggressive, but carp fry that have been socialized from hatching often exhibit calmer temperaments and even signs of curiosity, affection, and friendliness towards familiar sophonts.

Space Carps are not assumed to be particularly intelligent animals, though that may be due to a lack of research and observation. There are many anecdotes and unverified claims that domesticated carp can learn verbal commands, be clicker trained, recognize their handlers, recognize their name, and even demand attention through their vocalizations. However, research studies have shown inconclusive and conflicting results, and so the intelligence of Space Carps remains uncertain.

Space Carp are theorized to have no definitive lifespan. After reaching maturity, they grow slowly in size as long as they are alive.

Space Carps are omnivorous, opportunistic scavengers that prey on nearly everything, even rocks and carrion. They will consume anything that provides even the slightest bit of nutrition, even exhibiting cannibalism towards dead, weak, or sick members of their own species. Interestingly enough, Space Carp show no aggressive or predatory behavior towards other healthy members of their species. It is suspected that the hunting and consumption of unhealthy carp helps ensure the survival of the healthiest and strongest animals.

Although Space Carp are not venomous, they produce a compound known as "carpotoxin" that resides in their bodies. Unathi are capable of digesting carpotoxin, and as such, Space Carp are a staple food in their diet. This toxin can be isolated from carp meat, or harmlessly extracted from a live specimen. One of the most well-known uses for carpotoxin is in the production of Rezadone. Xenofauna researchers propose that carpotoxin may be the key factor that allows Space Carp to metabolize nearly anything they consume.

Space Carp have a larger, more vicious relative known as the Space Shark. It is unclear if Space Sharks are simply older space carps, or if they are a species all their own. One leading theory proposes that a Space Shark is a carp that has amassed excessive carpotoxin in its body, likely from mutations or consuming the meat of other carps.

Last but definitely not least are the elusive "Space Whales". They are believed to be ancient Space Carp that have grown to enormous size. Unlike their smaller relatives, Space Whales are reclusive and peaceful animals.