Freshwater
Clown knifefish
Chitala chitala
Notopteridae, Notopterinae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 122 cm
- Body shape
- Deep-bodied
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 38,140 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
NativeIntroduced
Lives wild in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Introduced to Philippines and Sri Lanka.
More about the species
Description
Adults inhabit freshwater rivers, lakes, beels, nullahs in the plains, reservoirs, canals and ponds. Feed on aquatic insects, mollusks, shrimps and small fishes. Females lay eggs usually on stake or stump of wood, males fan them with tail, keep them aerated and silt-free, guard them against small catfish and other predators; complete give-away to fishermen; females not observed at egg posts; moderately important food fish. Spawn once a year during May to August.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Chitala cliltula
- Chitala lopis
- Mystus chitala
- Mystus chitala buchanani
- Notopterus buchanani
- Notopterus chilata
In other languages
- Kitala
- Stor knivbladfisk
- Rengasteräkala, Isoteräkala
- Feather back, Featherback, Humped featherback, Knife fish, Thousand dollar knife fish
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up an Asian aquarium5 min read
Two aquariums from Southeast Asia: calm forest streams and peat swamps with soft, brown water, and fast mountain streams with cool, oxygen-rich water.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.