Clown knifefish
Chitala chitala
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A knifefish from the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh), silvery, with golden or silvery bars on the back and dark spots without a pale ring near the tail. It exceeds one metre. The female lays her eggs on submerged stakes or stumps, and the male guards them. It is rare in the aquarium trade: fish sold under this name are almost always Chitala ornata. It is a food fish.
- Scientific name
- Chitala chitala
- Family
- Notopteridae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Notopteridae
- Order
- Osteoglossiformes
- Synonyms
- Chitala cliltula, Chitala lopis, Mystus chitala, Mystus chitala buchanani, Notopterus buchanani, Notopterus chilata, Notopterus chitala, Notopterus maculatus
Origin
- Native region
- Ásia
Water
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
- pH
- 6–8
- General hardness (GH)
- 2–15 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 122 cm
Behavior
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social life
- School
- Swimming level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
Care
- Care difficulty
- Moderate
Reproduction
- Breeding strategy
- Substrate or cave spawner
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Near threatened (NT)
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