Clown KnifefishClown Knifefish, Clown FeatherbackFamily: Notopteridae Clown Knifefish (albino) Chitala ornataPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Pavaphon SupanantananontLatest Reader Comment - See More I have a clown knife, her name is Peggy, that is 7 yrs old and 26 inches long. She's been in a150 gallon tank for the last five years. I've been traveling... (more) Art walton The beautiful Clown Knifefish is probably the most popular species of knifefish in the aquarium hobby!Clown Knifefish Contents It is very popular because of its common availability, relatively low price, and variable pattern of large spots. It seems that no two are exactly alike. They may have no spots at all and sometimes you may find one with two rows of smaller spots. Clown Knivefish can grow to a large size but since they are not a particularly active fish, they do not need as large of a tank as you might think. They are generally peaceful and will do well with other fish that are not particularly aggressive and that are too large to fit into the knives mouth. For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see: |
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Habitat: Distribution / Background
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.
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.
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.
Temp: 75 - 82° F (24 - 28° C)
Hardness: 2 - 10 dGH
pH 5.5 to 7.0
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 are unknown.
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.
Clown Knifefish are commonly available.
Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants
Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants
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