FW Flounder

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Merlot

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Dec 27, 2011
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SO today I decided to go to my LFS to find a new bottom feeder for my 33gallon angel fish tank. I wanted some clownfish loaches but then decided against them given their adult size... I then looked at some panda cories (which I ended up getting two of).. and as I was walking out I saw these adorable little flounders living in a regular tank with regular gravel and gouramis. I had never seen them before and was totally in love with them. The people at the store have always been knowledgeable about the fish so I decided (against my best judgment) to listen to their advice. I was told that the flounder would do fine in 75-80 degree water and would have no issues with my angels. I asked everything I could think of only to find out once I got home that the flounder prefers brackish water, thinner sand, and is a carnivore! I will go to the store immediately tomorrow morning to buy bloodworms for it.... What else can I do to make it happy in my tank? Would it be advisable to return him? I don't want to make the fish suffer unnecessarily and I want to give it a good home. Right now it's just swimming around the water and close to the air bubbles instead of being at the bottom. The panda's are just swimming all over the place, but I read that is supposed to be normal. Any feedback would be of great help. I have never had much luck with bottom feeders!
 

cookymonster760

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Apr 4, 2011
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maybe put a patch of finer sand in your tank and add about a teaspoon of salt for every 20 gallons depending on fishes and plants
 

vanillarum

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Jan 4, 2008
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I had 2 FW flounder in my community tank for close to 3 years. The tank is at 80° and has natural color, small gravel, rocks, lots of wood, slate and caves. Never had a problem with them, like I said, I had them close to 3 years. Never added any salt and they were fine. They swim all over the tank, on the glass, even in the caves. 1 finally died, and the other I gave to a friend who was in love with it, and she still has it. We don't see them very often around here. It will eat what your cories eat. And you might want to think about adding 3 or 4 more of them (cories) , as they are happiest in groups. Good luck.
 

Merlot

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Dec 27, 2011
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Last night I put in some pellets for cories and added some Microcrabs. Not sure who ended up eating them but they are all gone today. The flounder is still swimming around like crazy. I thought it would over exert himself and pass away last night... but he seems to be doing well. His gills are not red, the gill I can see does not seem to be moving too fast. I just haven't seen him bury himself in the gravel since I got him. I am going to remove about half an inch of my gravel and add some pool filter sand on the top so that hopefully he will like it more. On the bad side, I think one of the cories got injured somehow (or perhaps the angels got to him?). He has a red bruise on the side of his body... He's in a corner of the tank panting. I will have to get a few more of them so they can group up better.
 

excuzzzeme

Stroke Survivor '05
Mixing brackish and regular fish is asking for problems. Trying to keep any fish in the wrong type of water is setting up for a failure and early demise of the fish.
 

vanillarum

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Jan 4, 2008
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I think my 5 year old, fat as a house, F 8 puffer, who lives in my FW community tank, might disagree. I agree - generally yes. Specifically no. Good luck.
 

verbal

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May 4, 2010
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I think your flounder might be the prime suspect in the crab disappearance. They don't have huge mouths, but they are predatory towards things that will fit in them. Flounders definitely need sand to hide in.
 

Merlot

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Dec 27, 2011
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Brief update on the FW flounder: He is actually doing really well (don't want to jinx it). I'm assuming he's been eating because he is still alive and seems to have grown a tad. I give him shrimp pellets and frozen bloodworms at night with the lights off... They never fall close to him, but I think he eventually gets to them. His coloration is now a bit lighter, but he roams around the tank undisturbed. I don't think the angels have even realized he is there! Still working on the sand, but as of now he seems to enjoy laying on the driftwood or the side of the tank. WIll try posting a picture of the little guy soon enough :)
 

Khemul

Sea Bunny
Oct 14, 2010
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South Florida
I think my 5 year old, fat as a house, F 8 puffer, who lives in my FW community tank, might disagree. I agree - generally yes. Specifically no. Good luck.
Not to get into the whole brackish/fw debate, but your puffer isn't even 1/3 of the way through its life. A few more years before it can really be considered successfully kept in fw. And some would even argue that it would be as much as a decade before declaring full success.
 
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