"freshwater" flounder need care advice any tips would be great!!

[MandM]

I recently purchased a freshwater flounder I realize this fish is really brackish and plan on bringing his salinity up slowly from the pet stores all fresh solution really just wanted any tips on the best method type and amount of salt to use to make it brackish and other than that just any general advice on flounder care would be great I have heard they can be difficult and i want him to thrive he is currently in a 10 gallon tank and is about the size of my thumb he is eating well on a diet of frozen and live brine and blood worms along with some nutrients he will be soon transplanted to my 36 gallon bowfront as I hear they will get big perhaps 5-8 inches in diameter anyone with any advice please share

Thanks,
Mike and Michelle aquarium crazy

 

[randy86]

I have no advice to offer but would love to see pics

 

[alia258]

I recently purchased a freshwater flounder I realize this fish is really brackish and plan on bringing his salinity up slowly from the pet stores all fresh solution really just wanted any tips on the best method type and amount of salt to use to make it brackish and other than that just any general advice on flounder care would be great I have heard they can be difficult and i want him to thrive he is currently in a 10 gallon tank and is about the size of my thumb he is eating well on a diet of frozen and live brine and blood worms along with some nutrients he will be soon transplanted to my 36 gallon bowfront as I hear they will get big perhaps 5-8 inches in diameter anyone with any advice please share

Thanks,
Mike and Michelle aquarium crazy

Hello! I am new to this posting thing, but I know some great ways to introduce a fish to higher salinity in a tank! It also works for adjusting to a PH level.
1.)get a clean 5 gallon bucket, dump the water from the tank inside (not all of it! Just enough that the fish can easily swim in the bottom!) this means a quarter full or less!
2.)this requires a modified vacuum tube or hose. Get it going, in the bigger tank, and make sure that the bucket with the fish inside is nearby.
3.)by modified, I mean make it so that when you pour the water into the bucket, it drips at about 2-3 drips per ten seconds. Test it first! If you do too much too fast the fish WILL die from shock!!!
4.)let the water drip into the bucket, and let the bucket fill up halfway. Empty the bucket carefully so that there is about as much water as originally, and repeat the process again.
5.) this process should take 4-6 hours, and if you're worried the fish might not adjust that quickly, feel free to slow the dripping and take your time with this. Patience will keep your fish happier and healthier in the long run.
6.) when you finally do move your fish into the bigger tank, I'm sure you'll notice a lower level in the water (if you do not, your fish probly hasn't had enough time in the bucket with the water dripping in) it is not a bright idea to automatically re-fill the water! Leave it as is for a day or two before putting any more in! If you MUST (the filter end is not fully submerged, there is a big fish with not enough room to swim, etc) then only add what is needed. Your fish should acclimate to the new tank nicely!


NOTE: if you want to do a longer version of this because you want to be cautious with your fish, do it for 1-2 hours for 3 or so days, but have caution as this will most likely stress the fish out and stress is yet another cause of fish death. (p.s. in case you don't know, a fish will lose color in any stressful moment, but will regain color once things have calmed down)

I posted this assuming you're new to fish tanks in hopes of covering any spots of fuzziness, and mean no rudeness towards you or your knowledge of fish tanks

I hope I helped you!
alia258~^^

 

[MandM]

thanks

Thanks for ur tips I may have to try that and I'll add some pics soon his name is flats Waller and he is a really cool fish my girlfriend and I love him he is so cool changes colors at will like a chameloen and quick great camoflauge expert

 

[alia258]

I would love to see your fish! Where do you live? Would you be interested in buying my first batch of fry? I'm a first time breeder, using guppies cause I was told they're easy to get pregnant! I live in Tucson! We don't celebrate presidents day! Nooooo! We celebrate the rodeo in these parts!!! ^^ haha! If you wanna see my guppy parents, check out my posted thread! It's the only one I've posted so far!

 

[BrackAttack]

not all are brackish but i have no idea on how to tell which is or isnt. is the 36 gallon cycled? if it isnt take out some water into buckets and just add salt to the desired salinity. roughly 1.005 SG should be good.

if your trying to slowly increase the 10 gal raise the salinity by .001 every week and by the 5th week it will be where you want it.

i use instant ocean salt and it takes a little over a half cup for every 5 gallons to get it at about 1.005 SG. Do you have anything to measure SG?

 

[Slade]

I had one of these many years ago. I don't know about brackish requirements, but do know they should have a sand substrate to cover themselves.

 

[BrackAttack]

i had one of these many years ago. I don't know about brackish requirements, but do know they should have a sand substrate to cover themselves.

very true

 

[Biosfear]

i kept 3 of them in a 29 gallon tank for about a year. I caught them on the beach with my bare hands
They stayed buried in the sand most of the time.
Fed them sinking cichlid pellets and a variety of small feeder fish and shrimp caught with a net.
I didn't really keep up with the salinity. They were pretty hardy.

i eventually released them where they were caught

 

[MandM]

I suppose I need to acquire the salinity testing equipment to properly measure this tank and keep it optimal thanks for the tip my next trip to the pet store will they have this??? And what type of salt standard aquarium salt I was told. Yes he seems to be a pretty hardy fish and can stand his own with the hujeta have plenty of substrate for him he likes the sand alot very cool seeing only his eyes. My main worries are his salinity and his diet he is on blood worms, black worms, brine shrimp, feeder minnow parts, and freshwater multipack frozen I try a variety so he gets all his nutrients I say he but it could be a girl and he is a different species than the ocean going flounder he is brackish (although I was told fresh) and will only get about 7-10" in diameter which is pretty big!! I'm excited so i want him to do well he eats well and looks eally good changes colors at will great at camoflouge but is it the right food I worry.

 

[siva]

Yes, you need a hydrometer. Marine salt, not aquarium salt.

 

[BrackAttack]

do you have any pictures of him?