Clown knifefish (Chitala ornata) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Clown featherback, Spotted knifefish
Family
Notopteridae (featherbacks and knifefishes)
Origin
Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong basins in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam; rivers, swamps, floodplains and lakes. Introduced elsewhere, including Florida.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
100 cm
Temperature
20–28°C
pH
6–8
Hardness
Soft to fairly hard, 2–15 dGH
Minimum tank
5000 litres
Care level
expert
Temperament
semi_aggressive

Care

The clown knifefish is sold as a small, attractive juvenile but grows to around 1 m and up to 5 kg. Seriously Fish considers it suitable only for public aquaria or the very largest specialist private tanks. The 5,000 litre figure here is our own suggestion as a bare minimum for an adult; please think hard before buying one. It is active at night and likes dim light, with large roots, caves or pipes to hide in by day. It breathes air at the surface, so it needs access to the surface, and a heavy, secure lid is essential for such a large, powerful fish. Strong filtration is needed for such a large meat-eater. Keep it at about 20–28 °C, pH 6–8 and soft to fairly hard water. It is told apart from the similar Chitala chitala by the row of ocellated (eye-like) spots above the anal fin; C. chitala lacks these and has transverse bars instead. Fish are often misidentified in the trade. FishBase lists it as Least Concern. It has become invasive where released, for example in Florida, so never release unwanted fish. Sources: Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/chitala-ornata/); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Chitala-ornata.html); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitalaornata). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A nocturnal predator. Feed chironomid larvae, earthworms, prawns, mussel and fish flesh. Dried pellets should not be the staple. Do not feed beef, chicken or other mammal or bird meat, and avoid live feeder fish, which can carry disease.

Breeding

Not reported in home aquaria. In the wild, spawning happens in the wet season, and males build nests and guard the eggs in flooded forest.

Compatibility and tank mates

Fairly tolerant of other fish too big to swallow, but will eat anything that fits in its mouth. Territorial towards its own kind, so keep one. Not a community fish; only suits a huge tank with other large, robust species.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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