Clown Knifefish Species

The clown knifefish or the Chitala chitala is a fish of the genus known as Chitala which is found in South Asia.



Some other names by which they are commonly referred to are Clown fish, Notopterus chitala, Clown Knife Fish, Featherback Fish or the Spotted Knife Fish. They can grow up to 100 cm when in the wild.

A useful bit of pet health information regarding the clown knifefish is that this fish should not be bought by a hobbyist casually, since this fish can grow by to very large sizes very few pet lovers are really capable of housing it comfortably and thus these fish are not able to survive easily. They are definitely not meant for beginners as they do require a great commitment of money, time and space in the endeavor to keep them happy and healthy, but point to note is that they are well worth it if you are looking for a fish with a personality.



The Clown Knife Fish is said to be one of the strangest, funniest looking freshwater tropical fish available in the industry. This is due to its huge under slung jaw, elongated head and its unusual humped back it is definitely not for all. But in spite of their odd looks, these clown knifefish fish have great personalities and are spectacular to watch as they glide around the tank in the night.

In their own natural habitat, the clown knifefish are known to be exclusively piscavores. This may possibly become a problem in one’s home aquarium hence a relevant pet health care tip regarding the clown knifefish is that if you start off young enough with them, they can be trained in the tank to eat pellets and eat some kinds of frozen foods. Since this cannot always be guaranteed, it helps to have a supply of some kind of live feeder fish. This supply of feeding fish can be of anything in the fish world that can fit in the clown fish’s mouth. When these fish are young, they tend to be comfortable in groups. as they begin to mature, they prefer solitude. Adult specimens will quite often not tolerate any other Clown Knife or any similar kind of species in their own tank. Clown Knifes tolerate bigger tank mates reasonably well, often ignoring attempts by territorial cichlids to chase them off. This can be a pet health issue at times by leading to problems where injuries are being inflicted, even though the clown will normally retreat to a hiding place well before any major conflict occurs.