What kind of knifefish is this?
- Thread starter paltik
- Start date
Notopterus Notoperus looks like an African Knife with a dorsal fin and is darker and somewhat metallic. The body and head are one smooth slope. Chitla Lopis has the "hump" or spoon head that a normal Clown Knife has, but they have no spots and can grow up to 5'
My first impulse was to say Chitala lopis. I can see the similarities too with Notopterus notopterus but if I have to decide right now I will go with the Giant featherback (C. lopis).
To my knowledge, the Lopis is a much rarer find than the Notopterus but either fish is very nice to have. just be ready for a monster sizes knife if it is a Lopis.
Ivan
To my knowledge, the Lopis is a much rarer find than the Notopterus but either fish is very nice to have. just be ready for a monster sizes knife if it is a Lopis.
Ivan
I looked at both, and noticed the fish in the picture did not have any distinct markings on the body. Fishbase mentions that juvenile chitala lopis has oblique bars on the body and anal fin. And it was mentioned that the fish above is 3 inches, unless it is larger now ...
This is the link about the description of the chitala polis...http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8765
This is the link about the description of the chitala polis...http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8765
woops, didnt see that dorsal the fist time I looked, my bad, definatlly not an african brown knife
how rare are we talking? whats the market value? that pure black one is awsome.
On another note: great avatar JD!
On another note: great avatar JD!
Good point Vince. I have never seen a juvie Lopis except maybe in one of the MFK books and it did have stripes/markings. However, large Lopis can get pretty dark like the one in the pic so I am still torn.
Again, if I have to choose I still go with Lopis but Notopterus is definitely more common than Lopis and more likely to be available in the market. Either fish is super cool so you scored big time anyway.
Ivan
Again, if I have to choose I still go with Lopis but Notopterus is definitely more common than Lopis and more likely to be available in the market. Either fish is super cool so you scored big time anyway.
Ivan
@kody1192: here in the Philippines, i bought it for Php35 or $0.62.
i hope this one's a Lopis, as i've never seen a real one; a big one. i only see them in pictures (usually with the bald man).
@Vince: it's still at 3 or so inches.. and it's very shy, won't feed on pellets when someone's watching.
@benzjamin13: WHAT??? 5 feet??? whoa that's real BIG!
@alfon76: the Lopis might really be a rare find; according to the link that Vince posted it's a protected specie. are there any laws that might be violated for keeping a protected specie? i don't want to go to jail for a fish
i hope this one's a Lopis, as i've never seen a real one; a big one. i only see them in pictures (usually with the bald man).
@Vince: it's still at 3 or so inches.. and it's very shy, won't feed on pellets when someone's watching.
@benzjamin13: WHAT??? 5 feet??? whoa that's real BIG!
@alfon76: the Lopis might really be a rare find; according to the link that Vince posted it's a protected specie. are there any laws that might be violated for keeping a protected specie? i don't want to go to jail for a fish
