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No federal permit to keepReticulate knifefish
Papyrocranus afer
Fishes › Arowanas and elephantfish (Osteoglossiformes) › Notopteridae (Asian and African knifefish)
The reticulated knifefish (Papyrocranus afer) is a species of freshwater fish in the family Notopteridae, the featherbacks, found in tropical West Africa.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 126 in long and 63 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 31.5 in / 80 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 75–86°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 83 × 35 in (roughly 449 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 75–82 °F, pH 6.5–7.5, 5–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament territorial.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “A dimly lit tank with areas of dense planting, pieces of driftwood and twisted roots is ideal for this species.”
- Diet: “This species is primarily carnivorous and will accept most meaty live and frozen foods.”
- Tankmates: “An aggressive species that should only be kept with very robust species.”
- Breeding: “Not reported in captivity.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Asian and African knifefishes
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Notopterids inhabit African and Asian freshwaters, including still, vegetated waters, rivers, lakes and floodplains, with Chitala ornata entering flooded forest to spawn. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Xenomystus nigri, the cited lifetime aquarium is approximately 120 x 45 x 38 cm, about 205 litres, for one fish.
- For Chitala ornata, plan a public installation or exceptionally large specialist aquarium: adults reach about 100 cm standard length.
- Provide dim light and refuges made from smooth wood, rocks or appropriately sized pipes; planted cover and soft sand particularly suit X. nigri.
- For large Chitala, install mature filtration, oxygenated water and substantial regular water changes; the C. ornata reference specifies 50–70% weekly.
- Preserve access to the water surface for atmospheric breathing.
Diet
- Bloodworms and earthworms, with smaller portions for juveniles.
- Prawns or shrimp and chopped mussels.
- Marine fish flesh for larger Chitala.
- Carnivore pellets if accepted, with varied meaty foods rather than pellets alone for C. ornata.
Social life
- Keep fish too large to swallow as any companions; provide separation for territorial adults. X. nigri becomes less tolerant of its own species with maturity, and Notopterus notopterus is more aggressive.
Health watch
- Nutritional organ damage from unsuitable mammalian or avian meat in Chitala.
- Ammonia toxicity under inadequate filtration.
- White spot disease, a general freshwater aquarium risk.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It reaches a maximum length of 80 cm (31 in) and a reported weight of 1.3 kg (2.9 lb).
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Papyrocranus afer” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. Prefers calm waters with dense vegetation. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 75–86 °F (24–30 °C), pH 6.5, hardness 10 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: paternal parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 75–86 °F.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 93°F (up to 100°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 68°F (down to 60°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 68–83% on average (driest month about 67%) |
| Rainfall | about 1943 mm a year |
Measured at 71 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The reticulated knifefish (Papyrocranus afer) is a species of freshwater fish in the family Notopteridae, the featherbacks, found in tropical West Africa. It reaches a maximum length of 80 cm and a reported weight of 1.3 kg. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | The reticulated knifefish usually grows to a length of about 62 cm. It is laterally flattened and has very small scales. Like other featherbacks, the dorsal fin projects from its back rather like a feather; this fin has no spines and just two soft rays. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Obligate air-breathing; Prefers calm waters with dense vegetation. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 83 × 35 in (about 449 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Xenomystus nigri Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Chitala ornata Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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