Royal Featherback

Distinguishable by the presence of numerous small black spots (in the anterior half of the body), merging posteriorly into irregular oblique bands extending on the anal and caudal fins (Ref. 27732). 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 (Ref. 7431).

Female guards the fry (to be verified).

Potamodromous. Migrating within streams, migratory in rivers, e.g. Saliminus, Moxostoma, Labeo. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Apparently restricted to areas with fast flowing waters, deep pools or rapids (Ref. 27732). Prefer habitats associated with rocky substrates (Ref. 37770). Occur in the mainstream of the Mekong River. Avoids tributaries and swamps (Ref. 7431). Reported to undertake short, local migrations (Ref. 37770). Active during twilight and night. Feed on fishes, crustaceans and insects. Also take smaller vertebrates (Ref. 58784). Spawning sites are found in inundated forests (Ref. 33813). Mature adults breed during the rainy season. Occasionally seen in the aquarium trade. (Ref. 12693). Has been bred for several years in Thailand (Ref. 7431).

fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial

The royal knifefish or Indochina featherback, Chitala blanci, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Notopteridae found in the Mekong basin in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.