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Encyclopedia / Oddballs & Predators / Clown knifefish
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Photo by portioid, CC BY · source · credits

Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Clown knifefish

Chitala ornata · Clown knife, Knifefish

Nocturnal predator.

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100 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Clown knifefish eats animals up to about 20 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Not recommended
  • Clown knifefish eats animals up to about 20 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Clown knifefish eats animals up to about 20 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like frontosa need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (6–7.5 vs 8–9). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 27–28 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

108 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–15 dGH
Group size ✓Can live alone
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Hard
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 8–12 cm
Growth Very fast

Behavior

Nocturnal predator.

Good to know: Grows to about 1 metre.

Food

Fish, prawns, worms.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleNot visible
FemaleNot visible
TipCannot be sexed by sight
How hard to tellHard

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Rarely bred in captivity ·

Unreported in captivity (rarely if ever at home). In the wild it spawns in spring and summer (March-July) on submerged wood or other hard surfaces, and the male guards and fans the eggs and protects the fry.

Pairing

Buy a group of 4-6 juveniles and grow them out together. Sexing is very hard, so a group gives the best chance of a pair.

Setup

Needs a very large tank (1000+ L) with caves, floating plants and flat spawning surfaces. Fish are nocturnal and need hiding places.

What starts it

Large tanks, rain-like conditions and heavy feeding are thought to help, but it is rarely done at home.

Eggs

Females reportedly lay thousands of eggs on the bottom or on a piece of wood; the male fans and guards them.

Raising the fry

Fry take baby brine shrimp and small worms. Grow very fast and become cannibals, so sort by size often.

Common mistakes
  • Keeping them in a tank that is too small
  • Mixing them with small fish that get eaten
  • Not sorting fry by size
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionMainland Southeast Asia – Mekong and Chao Phraya basins
Rivers and lakesMekong and Chao Phraya rivers
HabitatLakes, swamps and slow rivers
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the clown knifefish

Swims forwards and backwards by rippling its long anal fin. Probably from aquarium releases, it is established in southeast Florida (Lakes Osborne and Ida and connected canals, Palm Beach County).

John Edward Gray described the clown knifefish in 1831. Its blade-shaped body and row of eye-like spots made it a striking aquarium fish, though juveniles grow quickly into large predators. In Southeast Asia it is also an important food fish, used in fish cakes.

First described by John E. Gray in 1831.

  • It can breathe air.
  • It can grow to around 1 m.
  • It swims by rippling its long anal fin.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources