Freshwater Flatfish

[quasar]

Hey everyone!

Finally snagged one of these true freshwater flatfish (at least that's what I was assured).

Just wondering if anyone has any tips on keeping these? The only info I can find is that they're hard to feed and need 50g and sand. Mine is in a 125g and has white sand. Right now it's actually not buried and just lying on the sand.(was burried the first day, I guess maybe it's less stressed now?).

Here's some pics, looking forward to any feedback/info!

View attachment 1000008308.jpg

 

[Simonas]

Hi

I know that ID on these is a complicated thing and that there are many types and from what I can gather mainly brackish. But I'll let people with actual knowledge advise on that.

I kept a couple of these that I bought it a pets at home in the uk and they did really well for almost a year until a heater fault killed them They lived under the sand but were really easy to feed as soon as I put bloodworm and bring shrimp in that was defrosted they would smell it and come out eating really well and readily.

Cool fish I would love to try them again

 

[quasar]

Hi

I know that ID on these is a complicated thing and that there are many types and from what I can gather mainly brackish. But I'll let people with actual knowledge advise on that.

I kept a couple of these that I bought it a pets at home in the uk and they did really well for almost a year until a heater fault killed them They lived under the sand but were really easy to feed as soon as I put bloodworm and bring shrimp in that was defrosted they would smell it and come out eating really well and readily.

Cool fish I would love to try them again

Should I be worried that mine is suddenly out of the sand?

 

[Simonas]

Should I be worried that mine is suddenly out of the sand?

I wouldnt worry unless you hadnt seen it eating and you think its on the look out

Did they feed in the shop?

If you have any frozen bloodworm or brine shrimp or betteer still live I'd try and see if it will eat . I am sure once eating you're good to go

 

[Simonas]

When I would go in my garage in the night if the lights had been out for a couple of hours or so I would see them out and stuck to the glass

 

[quasar]

I wouldnt worry unless you hadnt seen it eating and you think its on the look out

Did they feed in the shop?

If you have any frozen bloodworm or brine shrimp or betteer still live I'd try and see if it will eat . I am sure once eating you're good to go

I believe the shop was feeding bloodworms and brine shrimp. I'm restocking on frozen BW and BS in about 10m so we'll see.

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

If the fish is an Apionichthys of some sort (which it appears to be), then it should be one of the few "true" freshwater flatfish from S. America; along with Hypoclinemus and Catathyridium (two similar genera, albeit with fish of a notably different appearance). There's probably more genera, but those are the only others I can name off the top of my head.
I've kept H. mentalis and C. jenynsii; they'd typically take bloodworms and small krill towards the evening; but I've also caught H. mentalis eating a tetra at 2AM before (they have a surprisingly large mouth). Had some issues with younger mentalis and the jenynsii refusing to take anything but small shrimp; honestly don't know what caused them to start taking frozen krill, but they did after about two months or so.
Should be fine in somewhat soft to slightly hard water; they don't seem too picky about parameters.
I'm fairly certain they spend practically all of their time buried, especially as they age- might be of slight concern if one isn't buried for more than a few hours in broad daylight, but in truth I don't really know.
Tail looks a bit roughed-up; may want to keep an eye on that, as it seems most flounders are rather prone to bacterial infections.