Bronze featherback
Notopterus notopterus
Also known as Asian knifefish, Grey featherback, Asiatic knifefish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 13.8 in
- 35 cm
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal
- 300 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Notopteridae
- Origin
- Native to still and slow waters across South and Southeast Asia, including ponds, canals and floodplain lakes.
Overview
A midwater predator reaching about 35 cm, it needs at least 300 litres with cover, subdued light and a lid. Keep it at 24 to 28 C and pH 6.0 to 7.5. It is fairly peaceful for its size and can be kept in a group, but it will eat small fish, so pick tankmates it cannot swallow. Feed prawns, earthworms and frozen meaty foods, usually after lights-out.
In the wild
The bronze featherback is a knife-shaped fish with a long undulating fin running the length of its underside and a small, almost absent dorsal fin. It is a nocturnal predator that hangs quietly among wood and plants by day. Its body carries a soft bronze sheen.
Good to know
Notopterus notopterus belongs to the Old World knifefish family Notopteridae and reaches around 35 cm in aquaria, larger in the wild. It can breathe air using a modified swim bladder. Adults produce sounds and guard their eggs.
Did you know
Featherbacks swim forward and backward with equal ease by sending waves along the long fin beneath the body.
Common questions
What size tank does a Bronze featherback need?
A Bronze featherback needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Bronze featherback need?
A Bronze featherback is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big does a Bronze featherback get?
An adult Bronze featherback reaches about 13.8 in (35 cm).
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