short body Clown Knifefish (Chitala ornata)

Short body Knifefish (rare)

An uncommon and beautifully marked species of knifefish, the Royal Clown Knife is found in fast-moving waters of the middle Mekong along the Thailand – Laos border. A predatory species with a surprisingly large mouth, they can easily eat fish up to 1/3rd their size in many cases. Despite their predatory nature, they are peaceful towards nearly all tankmates too big to be eaten. Often shy at first, they will do best in an aquarium with ample hiding spaces and moderate to strong water movement. Over time, they will become more bold and active in the aquarium and larger specimens make impressive display fish with their vivid silver sheen, long undulating fin, and striking reticulated pattern of black markings which typically grows more intricate as the fish grows.