Freshwater flat fish

[Bagstar]

Im after a freshwater flounder or any flat fish that would be suited to my tank. I have a 40 gallon tank with guppys, clown loach, gourami, neons, rainbows and rasboras. What can I put in with them?

 

[davo]

a species of sole?

 

[RadleyMiller]

Most are brackish and are somewhat difficult to take care of. I have seen them around and they are really cool. I had some but they got eaten.

 

[guppy]

I cannot reccomend any sole or flounder for that mix, even the tiny (2") Trinectes fluviatilis of central america will eat or harass guppy sized fish.

 

[AtomixIGN]

How about a hillstream loach?

 

[fishcatch22]

How about a hillstream loach?

HLs are best suited for a CW tank.

on "FW" flounders: yea, most of them are brackish. your tank certianly is big enough, but I really wouldn't try it. they all also eat the fish in your tank.

 

[Joshy]

Regarding the hillstream loaches, take it from me:
You will lose them unless the water is cool, and if you do not have a decent current.
Died with in 5 minutes of being put in a tropical tank, and within 10 minutes of being put in a coldwater tank with little water movement. When i tried again (same batch from fish store) in a coldwater with a powerhead, they worked out.

 

[davo]

Regarding the hillstream loaches, take it from me:
You will lose them unless the water is cool, and if you do not have a decent current.
Died with in 5 minutes of being put in a tropical tank, and within 10 minutes of being put in a coldwater tank with little water movement. When i tried again (same batch from fish store) in a coldwater with a powerhead, they worked out.

Yeah, its a shame they are always sold here as tropical species fish. I have tried to warn a few people off them when i've been down in my LFS and they've been debating picking one up.

 

[guppy]

There are a couple types of warmer water hillstreams, mainly gastromyzon sp. I think, but they are almost never imported, even they do best in thmid 70s with fast waterflow. the common ones (Beauforti sp.) do best in the mid 60s.
Here is a link to the best article I have found on them, it also shows how to set up a "river tank".
http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream-loaches-the-specialists-at-life-in-the-fast-lane

 

[davo]

Thats an awesome link guppy, didn't realise the diversity of these specialist fish.