Chital fish is a carnivorous fish. They are generally a fish eater of freshwater. They live in clean water of river, swamp etc.
Chital fish is available in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malay, Laos, Thailand and some other Asian countries.
The Chitals are also very popular to the people of United States as a aquarium fish. They are also knows as some other name like chitol fish, chitala fish, chittal fish etc.
Chitals are also known as carnivorous freshwater fish. Physical characteristics, classification, food habit, breeding of this freshwater fish are listed bellow one after another.
Classification of Chital Fish
Scientific name and classification of chital fish are described below.
- Kingdom : Animalia
- Phylum : Chordata
- Class : Actinopterygii
- Order : Osteoglossiformes
- Family : Notopteridae
- Genus : Chitala
- Species : C. chitala
- Scientific Name : Chitala chitala
Physical Characteristics
Physical characteristics of Chitals are described below.
- The body of this fish is very long and thin.
- Body is depressed from both side.
- Their tail is blunt.
- The backside of head is curved like bow and slightly straight.
- There is a dorsal fin in their backside.
- Whole body and head is covered with numerous small sized scales.
- Caudal fin is joint with anal fin and there are 7-8 globular white spots.
- Pelvic fin outspread to tail and joint with tail.
- Chital fish lengths about 100-120 cm.
- Backside is dark gray colored and belly is bright silver colored.
- Head is competitively smaller than their body.
- Head and body of chital fish is skate and grained.
Feed
Chital fish are carnivorous. They generally eat feed from lower level of water. Along with this they also eat feed from other water level. Various types of small fish, shrimp, snail, and aquatic insects are the favorite feed of this freshwater fish.
Breeding
Chitals lay eggs in currents water reservoir. But they also lays eggs in pond and swamp. Their breeding period is June to July. During breeding period they make hole by digging soil. Sometimes they lays eggs on aquatic plants. They watch their baby like a guard.
