Clown Knifefish care guide

Clown Knifefish (Chitala ornata) — minimum tank 800 L, temperature 24-28 °C, pH 6-7.5.

Overview

The Clown Knifefish (Chitala ornata) is a large featherback fish from Southeast Asia, reaching up to 60 cm and occasionally larger in the wild. It has a deep, laterally compressed silver body with a row of large dark ocelli (eye-spots) along the flanks and a long undulating anal fin fused to the small caudal fin.

Taxonomy

Family: Notopteridae
Genus: Chitala
Scientific name: Chitala ornata
Common synonyms: Spotted Knifefish

Habitat

Native to the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Maeklong river basins of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The species inhabits slow-moving rivers, lakes and floodplains, often near submerged wood, dense weed-beds and overhanging banks, where it hunts at night.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 800 L (211.3 US gal)
Adult size: 40-60 cm
Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
pH: 6-7.5
GH: 2-15 °dGH
Water flow: moderate
Lifespan: 10-20 years

Diet

A piscivorous predator that takes fish, crustaceans and large insects. In aquaria it accepts large sinking pellets, frozen krill, prawn, mussel and earthworms; live feeders are not necessary and carry disease risk. Juveniles feed several times a week, adults less frequently.

Compatibility

Predatory and will eat fish small enough to swallow whole — and it has a very large mouth. Tank mates should be similarly sized, robust species: large plecos, Tinfoil Barbs, Datnoides, large Geophagus or Oscars. Best kept singly; adult conspecifics are intolerant of each other in standard aquaria.

Breeding

Captive breeding is rare in home aquaria but practised on a commercial scale in Southeast Asian food-fish farms. The species is a substrate spawner; eggs are deposited on submerged wood or rock and guarded by the male.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is widespread in Southeast Asia and is also farmed as a food fish; however, feral populations from the aquarium trade have established in Florida and elsewhere.