Clown Knife Fish Notopterus Chitala 10cm
Image for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.
Delivered alive, guaranteed
Live fish delivery is £20 per order, delivered Thursday, Friday or Saturday, arriving before 1:00pm on the day you choose at checkout. Packed by aquatic specialists and shipped overnight with a dedicated livestock courier, every fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with automatic refunds. See How Live Fish Delivery Works for full details.
When will my fish arrive?
| Order placed | Delivery day |
|---|---|
| Up to Monday 11:00am | Thursday (that week) |
| Monday after 11:00am – Tuesday 11:00am | Friday (that week) |
| Tuesday after 11:00am – Wednesday 11:00am | Saturday (that week) |
| Wednesday after 11:00am – Sunday (any time) | Thursday (following week) |
Overview
The Clown Knifefish is a huge, silvery-grey featherback with a humped back, tiny dorsal fin and a row of white-ringed black ocelli along the rear of its long anal fin. Nocturnal and predatory, it comes from large rivers, floodplains and lakes of mainland Southeast Asia. It suits only advanced keepers with a very large tank, ideally alongside other big, peaceful fish.
- Adult Size: Around 60–80 cm (24–32 in) in aquaria; up to 100 cm in the wild
- Lifespan: 10–15 years, sometimes longer
Origin
- Native to: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam
- Habitat: Lowland rivers, swamps, lakes and flooded forest
Feeding
- Diet: Carnivorous, predatory
- Preferred Foods: Earthworms, prawns, mussel, fish fillet, bloodworm, sinking carnivore pellets
- Feeding Habits: Feed at dusk; adults every two or three days; avoid mammal meat
Tank Mates
- Best with: Large peaceful fish: Oscars, bichirs, large Geophagus, tinfoil barbs
- Avoid: Anything small enough to swallow; other knifefish; aggressive cichlids
Aggression & Behaviour
- Temperament: Peaceful with fish too large to be prey
- Territoriality: Territorial towards its own kind and similar species
Experience Level
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Challenges: Enormous adult size; needs a tank-buster aquarium and heavy filtration
Water Parameters
- Water Type: Freshwater, soft to moderately hard
- Temperature: 22–28°C (72–82°F)
- pH: 6.0–8.0
- Hardness: 2–15 dGH
- Flow: Slow to moderate
- Tank Size: Minimum 1000 litres for a single adult; juveniles outgrow smaller tanks fast
Final Notes
A 10 cm juvenile can pass 30 cm within a year and adults need a tank at least two metres long, so buy only with that housing in place. The fish sold under this name is Chitala ornata. Provide dim light, driftwood hides, a tight heavy lid and powerful filtration, and never keep two together in a normal tank. Well kept, it is a calm, majestic centrepiece.
Please Note
The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
In insulated boxes designed for live transport, packed by aquatic specialists,
overnight with a licensed live-animal courier, arriving before 1pm.
It is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Photograph it within 4 hours of delivery, email info@birchwoodaquaticcentre.co.uk with your order number, and the refund is processed automatically. The cover continues for 7 days after arrival.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You pick your day at checkout; please choose a day someone is home.
Yes. One basket, one checkout; the fish arrive with the specialist courier and the rest of your order ships as normal.
We can deliver to UK mainland only for live fish.
Follow the five-minute acclimatisation steps in our When Your Fish Arrive guide: float the bags, add tank water gradually, net the fish in, lights low, feed tomorrow.