Despite being a wholly unsuitable aquarium subject, C. idella is often traded as such, with an albino form having been developed specifically for the ornamental market.

Individuals which have outgrown their aquarium or pond should never be released into natural waters, either, since this species has proven capable of causing serious environmental damage under a wide range of climatic conditions.

Native to continental China, the Korean peninsula, and southern Japan. Type locality is given only as ‘Lakes and rivers, northern China’, with the type series possibly originating from the Pai-ho River near Beijing.

It has been widely introduced and is considered invasive elsewhere, including the Mekong river basin (records from Laos and Thailand), Salween river (Myanmar), northern Japan, Taiwan, Turkmeni…