Flounder Freshwater

If you want to own a small, peaceful, very interesting-looking fish, the Freshwater Flounder is a good choice.

The Freshwater Flounder is native to the Northern Gulf of Mexico to northern Argentina, and Florida. Its name is misleading as this is in fact a fish that thrives in brackish water.

Freshwater Flounders are very easy to care for and can live for up to five years if provided with optimal tank conditions.

This article contains all the information you need before adding Freshwater Flounder to your aquarium. You will read about the preferred tank setup, diet, behavior, and much more…

The Freshwater Flounder that you can buy for your aquarium is not actually a freshwater fish. They can survive in freshwater if that is where they are housed, but they will not thrive. The Freshwater Flounder needs an aquarium that contains marine salt.

This is a peaceful, calm fish that never displays aggression towards its tank mates. Occasionally, however, the Freshwater Flounder are bullied by other fish.
Freshwater Flounders live around substrates that are silty, muddy, or sandy.

There is some confusion among aquarium owners regarding which fish are the actual Freshwater Flounder.

• The Achirus lineatus is a member of the Achiridae family. It is found in Florida and the northern Gulf of Mexico to northern Argentina. It is usually collected in brackish Florida estuaries.
• The Trinectes maculatus, also known as the Hogchoker, is also a member of the Achiridae family. This fish is found in the Western Central Atlantic, from Massachusetts to Florida, down through the Gulf of Mexico to Panama.
• The Catathyridium jenynsii are true freshwater flounders. They live in the South American Uruguay and Parana Rivers and are very hard to find. This species is not sold as aquarium fish and grows much larger than the two species raised in tanks. The Catathyridium jenynsii can reach a length of 9.3 inches (23.7 cm).

The best substrate for Freshwater Flounder in home tanks is fine-grained marine sand.