Clown Knifefish

Distribution:
   The Clown Knivefish was described by Gray in 1831. They are found in South East Asia; Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Viet Nam where they inhabit swamplands and the moving waters of medium to large rivers.

Status:
   The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The silvery gray body of the Clown Knivefish is flat and elongated with an arched back. It has a continuous fin along the underside formed by a joining of the caudal and anal fin, and has a very small dorsal fin. Their most distinguishing characteristic is a variable pattern of large spots above the base of the anal fin; however, it seems that no two patterns are exactly alike. They may have no spots at all, and sometimes you may find one with two rows of smaller spots. The Clown Knifefish pictured above is an albino color form.

Size - Weight:
   In the wild these fish have a maximum length of about 3¼ feet (100 cm) and a weight of about 11 pounds (5 kg), but most tank raise specimens won't grow much larger than 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm).

Care and feeding:
   The Clown Knifefish are carnivores. In the Aquarium they prefer to eat fresh foods such as worms or small fish, but it is a good idea to do your best to condition them to eat sinking pellets or some other dried food of substance. This will make feeding them much easier and less costly. When shopping for a Clown Knife, avoid fish that are under 3 inches or over 6 inches. The smaller ones are relatively delicate and the larger ones can be harder to get feeding. .
   These are usually offered for sale at a size of 3 to 6 inches and many hobbyists have unknowingly bought a pet they weren’t prepared to keep. That cute little 3 inch fish can grow to over 3 feet long but in an aquarium, 10 to 20 inches is usually the maximum size. If you plan on keeping one for a long time in good condition, be prepared to setup a 100 gallon tank.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   Clown Knifefish will spend most of their time in the middle or near the bottom of they tank, but they may occasionally go to the surface to grab a gulp of air or a meal.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temp: 75 - 82° F (24 - 28° C)
   Hardness: 2 - 10 dGH
   pH 5.5 to 7.0

Social Behaviors:
   They are generally peaceful but due to their large size, they will eat any tank mates small enough to fit into their large mouths.

Sexual Differences:
   Sexual differences are unknown.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Captive breeding is possible but this probably won’t happen unless the fish are kept in a very large tank. In this case, that means 500 gallons or more. The pair will usually lay their eggs on floating plants and the male will aggressively guard them until they hatch in 6 or 7 days. The fry should be moved into a rearing tank and fed baby brine shrimp until they are large enough to take other foods.

Availability:
   Clown Knifefish are commonly available.

Author: Ken Childs