Clown knifefish
📖 Overview
Facultative air-breathing ; Adults inhabit freshwater rivers, lakes, beels, nullahs in the plains , reservoirs, canals and ponds . Feed on aquatic insects, mollusks, shrimps and small fishes . Females lay eggs usually on stake or stump of wood, males fan them with tail, keep them aerated and silt-free, guard them against small catfish and other predators; complete give-away to fishermen; females not observed at egg posts; moderately important food fish . Spawn once a year during May to August .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 117 - 127. The only species in which subadults and adults have a series of transverse gold or silver bars on the dorsum, but this color feature is not always present . Differs from C. ornata in never having ocellated spots and from C. blanci and C. lopis in never having a black spot on the pectoral fin base .: short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Clown knifefish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Clown knifefish is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
The male tends the clutch .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Tropical; 24°C - 28°C
🌿 Ecology
aquatic insects, mollusks, shrimps and small fishes (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Clown knifefish · Indian Featherback · featherback |
| 🌍ASM | চিতল মাছ |
| 🌍BEN | চিতল |
| 🌍CES | nožovec velký |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pesce coltello indiano |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | インディアン・ナイフフィッシュ |
| 🌍MYA | ငါးဖယ် |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Indische mesvis |
| 🇵🇱Polish | brzeszczotek czarnoplamy |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Peixe-faca-indiano |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Индийский спинопёр |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Kitala |
| 🌍TAM | அம்பட்டன்வாளை |
| 🌍THA | ปลากรายอินเดีย |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chitala cliltula | Hamilton | 1822 | Synonym |
| Mystus chitala | Hamilton | 1822 | Synonym |
| Mystus chitala buchanani | Valenciennes | 1848 | Synonym |
| Notopterus buchanani | Valenciennes | 1848 | Synonym |
| Notopterus chilata | Hamilton | 1822 | Synonym |
| Notopterus chitala | Hamilton | 1822 | Synonym |
| Notopterus maculatus | Valenciennes | 1832 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 17 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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