Asian Knifefish (Notopterus notopterus) Care Guide
Notopterus notopterus is a nocturnal South and Southeast Asian knifefish that reaches about 60 cm and is kept by experienced aquarists.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Notopterus notopterus, known as the bronze featherback or Asian knifefish, is a freshwater fish of the family Notopteridae native to South and Southeast Asia. It has a compressed, blade-like body with a long, continuous anal-caudal fin. FishBase notes it may represent a species complex rather than a single species.
Taxonomy
- Family: Notopteridae
- Genus: Notopterus
- Scientific name: Notopterus notopterus
- Common synonym: Bronze Featherback
Habitat
The species occurs across South and Southeast Asia, with records from Thailand (Mekong), Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra and Java) and Myanmar. It is primarily a freshwater fish that has been recorded entering brackish water, inhabiting clear streams and standing waters and undertaking seasonal migrations between rivers and floodplains. FishBase describes it as an obligate air-breather.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 600 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-15 years
- Substrate: sand
Diet
This species is a carnivore. FishBase reports its natural diet includes insects, fish, crustaceans and some young roots of aquatic plants. In the aquarium it is typically fed once daily on meaty foods.
Compatibility
The Asian knifefish is nocturnal and semi-aggressive, occupying the middle of the water column. As a piscivore it will eat fish small enough to swallow, so suitable companions are larger catfish and mid-size cichlids; smaller fish should be avoided.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2019).
Breeding the Asian Knifefish (Notopterus notopterus)
Overview
The Asian Knifefish or Bronze Featherback (Notopterus notopterus) reaches about 60 cm SL and is found across South and Southeast Asia, in clear streams and the standing or sluggish waters of lakes, floodplains, canals and ponds; it occasionally enters brackish water and is a nocturnal air-breather (FishBase; Wikipedia). It is listed Least Concern by the IUCN and is an important food fish in the region (FishBase; Wikipedia).
Conditioning
FishBase records seasonal migration: the fish colonise floodplains during the rains and return to permanent waters in the dry season, with maturity reached around 15 cm or more. Conditioning thus follows the wet-season cycle of warm, rising water on well-fed adults.
Breeding Setup
Because eggs are laid in small clumps on submerged vegetation (FishBase), a breeding setup must provide dense submerged plants in either stagnant or gently running water, as the species spawns in both.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
FishBase states that breeding takes place in stagnant or running waters in the rainy season and that spawning occurs at night. A female of 21-25 cm typically produces 1,200-3,000 eggs, which are attached in small clumps to submerged plants.
Egg & Fry Care
The eggs adhere to vegetation after the nocturnal spawn (FishBase). FishBase does not detail subsequent parental behaviour for this species, so claims of guarding or fanning are omitted here; protect the clumps from adult predation in any managed setting.
Common Challenges
Large adult size, the need for a flood-season trigger and night spawning, plus the high egg counts that demand abundant plant cover, make controlled aquarium reproduction difficult and largely confined to pond culture.