七星刀 · Clown Featherback

Overview

The eye-like flank spots of Chitala ornata make it recognizable, but its immense adult size restricts suitable housing to public aquariums or exceptionally large specialist systems. Regular trade availability and selected pale forms do not make it an appropriate ordinary home-aquarium fish.

Distribution & habitat

It is native to Thailand's Mae Klong, Chao Phraya, and Mekong systems and the Mekong drainage in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Introduced or established populations have been reported from Myanmar, the Philippines, and Florida; these are separate from its native range.

It uses lower rivers, tributaries, marshes, floodplains, lakes, and some artificial impoundments. Flooded forest provides wet-season breeding habitat.

Aquarium setup

Long-term care demands exceptionally large mature accommodation. Subdued light and substantial wood, rocks, or wide pipes provide refuges without removing essential adult swimming space.

Use very large filtration capacity, oxygen-rich water, and moderate circulation. Weekly partial changes of approximately 50–70% represent a major commitment. An aquarium that temporarily accommodates a juvenile is not necessarily an adult home.

Diet & feeding

This mainly nocturnal carnivore naturally eats smaller fishes, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Most adapt to nonliving food. Bloodworms, small earthworms, and chopped prawn suit juveniles; adults accept fish strips, whole shrimp, mussel, and larger worms. Live river shrimp are also taken.

Accepted pellets can supplement the menu but should not become its sole staple. Avoid routine terrestrial meats such as beef heart or chicken. Feeder fishes may introduce pathogens and parasites and are not automatically nutritionally suitable.

Behaviour & compatibility

Fish too large to swallow are treated relatively peacefully, but conspecifics and similarly shaped species may provoke territorial disputes, particularly in cramped conditions. Small fishes and shrimp are prey. Assess compatibility using adult size and mouth capacity.

Breeding

Aquarium reproduction is unreported. Wild males build nests from branches and leaves in seasonally flooded forest, then guard eggs and offspring. Knowledge of this natural behavior does not amount to a dependable ordinary-aquarium spawning method.

Notes

Rows of large ocellated spots above the anal-fin base distinguish it from Chitala chitala, whose spots lack comparable rings and whose back normally has gold or silver bars. Misapplication of the latter name is common.

Albino, leucistic, and apparent hybrid individuals can complicate pattern-based identification. Selected appearance and scientific identity should be assessed separately.