Indochina featherback (Chitala blanci)

Scientific name: Chitala blanci d'Aubenton, 1965

Indochina featherback (Chitala blanci)
Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chitala_blanci.jpg

The Indochina featherback (Chitala blanci) is a freshwater fish of the family Notopteridae that grows to about 122 cm (48 in). It is moderate to keep, is best kept in a species tank and needs a tank of at least 210 L (55 US gal), water at 20–28°C (68–82°F) and a pH of 5.5–7.0. Native range: Asia, Mekong river basin in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

Indochina featherback care at a glance

Care level
Moderate
Community tank
Not suitable
Adult size
122 cm (48 in)
Minimum tank
210 L (55 US gal)
Temperature
20–28°C (68–82°F)
pH
5.5–7.0
Hardness
2–10 dGH (36–178 ppm)
Diet
Omnivore. Accepts live foods.

Biology

Distinguishable by the presence of numerous small black spots, merging posteriorly into irregular oblique bands extending on the anal and caudal fins. Differs from all other species except C. lopis in having a large round black spot at base of pectoral fin. In C. blanci pectoral basal spot present in juveniles as small as 6 cm and retained throughout life.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Chitala blanci
Family
Notopteridae (Featherbacks or knifefishes)
Order
Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
120
Environment
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Asia: mainstream of the Mekong in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and the lower course of some tributaries.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Lower Risk: near threatened (LR/nt)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

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Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.

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