Clown featherback

Clown featherback
Sub-adult specimen
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Osteoglossiformes
Family:	Notopteridae
Genus:	Chitala
Species:	C. ornata
Binomial name
Chitala ornata J. E. Gray, 1831

The clown featherback (Chitala ornata), also known as the clown knifefish and spotted knifefish, is a

It is often seen in aquaculture and the aquarium trade, where it is frequently confused with Chitala chitala; the latter species is very rare in the aquarium trade.^[3][4] The clown featherback reaches 1 m (3.3 ft) in length,^[2] outgrowing all but the largest aquaria, yet it is popular.^[3]

Distribution

This species is native to Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Laos, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, where it is found in the

The clown knifefish is very distinct, with normally silvery gray with a long, knife-like body (laterally compressed) and a long anal fin that gives it its common name. Mature fish normally have five to 10 (or even more) black spots ringed with white that usually decrease in size as the fish grows. These ocellated spots and the lack of faint stripes on the back separate it from

Juveniles lack the spots, but are overall striped. Their long anal fins are used to make graceful forward and backward movements.

The clown knifefish grows to a fairly large size, up to 1 m (3.3 ft) and 5 kg (11 lb) in the wild.

ventral fins

.

Behavior

They are

prey and try any fish that fits into their mouths. Young clown knifefish usually school near water logs and plants for security, whereas more mature specimens usually become territorial and eventually become loners. These fish can also breathe air to survive in stagnant waters and little oxygen. The clown knifefish prefers water around neutral pH

and temperatures ranging from 75 to 85 °F (24 to 29 °C). These fish usually are found in lakes, swamps, and river backwaters.

In the aquarium

Clown knifefish are sold as exotic fish in pet stores, but they grow much too large for the average home aquarium. These fish have periods of retreat, so aquaria that have caves, plants, or other hiding places are preferred. They are jumpers, so the lid should be kept tightly closed. Dim lighting may help lessen jumping. For the first few days, clown knifefish are shy and prone to hiding. As they grow larger, they tend to be quite the opposite.

Feeding

Clown knifefish are hearty eaters, and will take live foods such as feeder fish, ghost shrimp, and blackworms. With time, they can be adapted to foods such as beefheart and will sometimes learn to accept commercial food pellets. They are mostly nocturnal, thus prefer feeding when the lights are off.

As food

The clown featherback is commonly seen in the

cuisine of Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. In Thailand, when deep-fried as pla krai thot krathiam (ปลากรายทอดกระเทียม), it is served with a spicy dipping sauce on the side made by mashing up coriander roots, bird's eye chillies, and garlic, and mixing this with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. The clown featherback is also the main fish used in the production of fish balls

.

See also

• Bronze featherback
• List of freshwater aquarium fish species
• List of Thai ingredients

References

1. ^
   doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T181056A1693604.en
   . Retrieved 13 January 2018.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2014). "Chitala ornata" in FishBase. May 2014 version.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Seriously Fish: Chitala ornata. Retrieved 24 May 2014
4. ^ Seriously Fish: Chitala chitala. Retrieved 24 May 2014
5. ^ "clown knifefish". EDDMapS. University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
6. ^ Roberts, T.R. (1992). Systematic revision of the old world freshwater fish family Notopteridae. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 2(4):361-383.

• http://www.myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Nonnative_FW_ClownKnifefish.htm Archived 2013-05-24 at the Wayback Machine – accessed October 2006
• http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile5.html - accessed October 2006
• http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Knife,%20Clown.htm Archived 2013-08-10 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Wikispecies has information related to chitala.

• Media related to Chitala ornata at Wikimedia Commons