know anything about freshwater flounders?

[purplestarfish]

A while ago, I was perusing a petstore when I came across the oddest little things - "freshwater flounders"! 8O They were about 1" in diameter and were definitely flounders - both eyes on one side and everything. Unfortunately, I was broke and couldn't exactly afford to purchase any, but nevertheless, they may have died. Does anyone know anything about them? Are they doomed to die in the throes in freshwater when they belong in saltwater, or is there actually a freshwater strain? How big do they get? What do the eat? (Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a lick of info on them anywhere, so I gotta turn to you guys . . . ! )
Thx.
PS - my birthday's in 3 weeks! A bit early for congratulations, I know, but still, I'm super-'cited.

 

[madasafish]

Purplestarfish, I've heard countless accounts of ppl buying these fish and losing them within a month. It seems that we don't really understand these flounders well. Apart from anything else, there are so many different species that this fish could be that ppl seldom nail down exactly what the specimen they have is.

Generally, there is no such thing as a fully freshwater flounder. Most are brackish when young and fully SW when older.

From what I've heard they eat tubifex, krill etc. They need sand to chill in, as they need to feel protected, and need a place to hunt from (even if they don't actually).

I'd say look for another fish for your birthday! Apart from the obvious problems, these fish aren't particularly active. They don't make praticularly good aquarium fish!

 

[patryuji]

The one LFS which has carried juvenile flounders here have them in brackish water tanks

 

[TheMadNucleus]

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/fishing/freshwater/article/0,13199,388211,00.html

http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Parali_lethos.htm

(Find Salinity in the above post, these guys can live in FW).

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwflounders.htm

HTH

Tom

 

[mgkaelen]

i thought i wanted some fw flounders but decided to get a hillstream loach instead. LFS sometimes call them chiense butterfly loaches and i';ve even seen them called stingray loaches. they are AWESOMe and flounder-ish.. they stick to the sides and are SO FUNNY. check my gallery for pictures!

 

[purplestarfish]

Thanks a bunch, guys; it's always good not to be an impulse buyer. (I hadn't even thought about fish for my birthday, but with that buzzing around in my ear, I can't help BUT make a recommendation or drop a few hints to my parents, right? ) Can't have any flounder if they're brackish water. I consolidated my tanks a while back after I sold some fish and supplies, so now I only have a 55 gallon freshwater with a few fish that I'm rather partial to. A brackish tank would be a cool "eventually" project - I really like the idea of puffers, archers, scats, monos, etc. - but it'll have to wait a while. Thanks again! (I'm about to look up the hillstream loach pictures, which is why I have yet to talk of it, but anything "flouner-ish" sounds cool . . . )

 

[Menagerie]

I have two butterfly loaches--they are wonderful!