Edit Chitala lopis
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Name
Scientific name
Chitala lopis
Described by
Authority Bleeker, Year 1851, Bracketed
Family
Notopteridae
Common names
Giant Featherback, Belida, Ikan Belida
Photograph credits
All 2 credited
Summary
The giant featherback, Chitala lopis, is a notopterid accepted to range from the Mekong basin to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and J…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
1500mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Not recorded
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 22–28°C, pH 6–8
Hardness
2–15dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
Not recorded
Community suitability
Not for a community
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, Java, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Chao Phraya, Endau, Mae Klong, Mekong
Writing
Etymology
Chitala: a Bengali vernacular name for members of this genus. lopis: vernacular name for the fish in Samarang, Indonesia.
Distribution
Currently accepted to occur in the Mekong basin in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong drainages in Thailand, plus Peninsular Malaysia …
Habitat
Occurs primarily in the lower basins of main river channels and forested tributaries with complex substrates of rocks and submerged wood. Has also been recorde…
Aquarium size
Suitable only for public installations or the very largest, highly-specialised private aquaria.
Maintenance
Prefers dim lighting and access to refuges in the form of driftwood, large rocks or lengths of plastic piping. A large, mature filter system, rigorous maintena…
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
An obligate, typically nocturnal, predator feeding on smaller fishes, crustaceans and other invertebrates in nature but in most cases adapting well to dead alt…
Behaviour and compatibility
Chitala spp. tend to be relatively peaceful with fishes too large to be considered prey but can be territorial with conspecifics and other similarly-shaped spe…
Sexual dimorphism
Not written yet
Reproduction
Not written yet
Notes
This species is not collected for the aquarium trade at time of writing. In contrast to other members of the genus older juvenile and adult individuals lack da…
References
References
5 on this profile