[i never drink water]

Scientific name: Chitala ornata
Common name: Clown Knifefish, Featherback, Thousand Dollar Knife Fish
Synonyms: Mystus chitala, Chitala chitala, Notopterus chilata, Notopterus chitala, Notopterus maculatus, Notopterus buchanani, Chitala lopis
Genus: Chitala
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Family: Notopteridea
Subfamily: Chitala Ornata
Size: 100cm (40”) although this size is uncommon is aquaria (20”)
Origin: South East Asia – Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, India & Bangladesh



Minimum Tank Size: 170-210 litre 100cm tank whilst young (<12”)/ 340-410 litre 150 cm tank when adult, possibly bigger again if grows to be very large.
Tank setup: Lots of hiding places in rocks – a clay pipe often used. Densely planted with an open swimming area covered by floating plants.
Temperament: Once adult becomes aggressive towards same species, unlike the banded knifefish it is not to worried about similar shaped fish. Will eat anything that can fit in its (large) mouth – which ‘unhinges’ like some snakes – but is peaceful to anything that it cant eat. With large fish it is a good community tankmate.
Compatibility: Arowana, Bichir, Oscar, Cichlasomines, Pimelodids, Loricarids, Asian Catfish, Giant Gourami. I keep my with Corys, plecos and other two other knifefish. If its big or fast its fine.
Water Type: Freshwater
Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C)
Hardness: 5.0-19.0 dH
pH: 6.0-8.0
Sexual dimorphism: Unknown.
Breeding: Hard but not impossible to breed – the main problem is that fish need to be fully grown to spawn which is hard to achieve in aquaria. Impossible to sex so recommended to keep 6 or 7 in an indoor pool amongst tree roots. Will spawn in very soft water and lay eggs on floating plants and occasionally hard surfaces. Male protects the eggs in a very aggressive manner, actively chasing off all other fish and fanning the eggs. Eggs hatch in 6-7 days when they should be transferred into a fry rearing tank and fed on Artemia.
Feeding: Live; fish, Tubifex , snails, crustaceans, earthworms. Very much a case by case species as most fish will have been caught in the wild. Some will only take feeders but most can be tempted onto frozen bloodworm or even pellets. However there are multiple cases of fish being permanently damaged as feeding habits are attempted to be changed. Most will only feed at night. Is possible to feed from the hand.

This was the fish that took me from having a fish tank to loving having a fish tank. When you buy a knifefish you’re getting so much more than just a stunningly beautiful fish. I don’t think there will be another fish available to you with as much history and fasinating facts as one of these – the more you learn the more you need to know. In much of ancient Asian culture it was believed that when you pasted away you soul became a knifefish (which is why they have only recently been made available) and it is easy to see why. As capable of swimming backwards as forwards at incredible speed and elegance it is a fish I could just not do without.
This is of course true of all knifefish from South America, Asia and Africa but for beginners the clown is a great place to start (if you have the room). It doesn’t have the electric organ of the Black Ghost and you can still use your normal treatments. It is also surprisingly hardy and can survive in low quality water conditions (being able to store oxygen in its bladder) so is quite good for beginners prone to the odd mistake. It will need feeding daily and the less hungry it is the less violent it is and the more likely it is that you will be able to keep slightly smaller fish. You will read on websites about how awful these fish are but in my experience this is grossly unfair as mine hasn’t bothered the Corys or other knifes which it could eat comfortably – the only thing to worry about is that they will grow to be very large indeed and you must be prepared to up-size or move on. If you havent got a knifefish – you should, and this is a good place to start. Not as violent as the banded or as temperamental as the Black Ghost it is a truly stunning fish and perfect for a large home setup.