The KNIFE FISH (Notopterus chilata) is distributed over the areas of Thailand, Borneo, Malaysia, India and Sumatra. These fish are one of the strangest-looking tropical fish today owing to the fact that its tail fin looks very much like a knife. Given below are interesting facts about tropical fish – the knife fish.

 

Knife fish fun facts

 

  • Knife fish are usually nocturnal although they tend to be active in the day once in a while. They could swim forwards and backwards with the same relative ease.

 

  • These tropical fish are very flexible and can literally turn in its body length as it changes direction.

 

  • Knife fish have poor eyesight and they rely on their sensitive lateral lines to feel around its surroundings. They usually sneak behind their prey and swallow it whole which doesn’t make it a suitable companion for other small fish.

 

  • These fish are very shy and panicky when changes occur in their environment.

 

Knife fish care

 

Keeping a knife fish in an aquarium needs certain requirements. A lot of things should be considered such as their large size, their companions, the acidity of the water and the lighting as well as their hiding place.

 

Knife fish in artificial fish tank

 

Due to their large size (10-13 inches), knife fish need to be housed in a large aquarium, which should be around 55 gallons when they are smaller and 300 gallons when they are larger. The pH of the water should be neutral to basic and the hardness should be softer. They need to have a hiding place during the day. These fish tolerate larger fish than themselves but never smaller fish as they can eat smaller fish at any moment.

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