I kept mine (half a dozen) for two years now (I am basically a newbie, and that is the entire length of my fishkeeping). I SO disagree that they are difficult to keep. THIS IS THE EASIEST fish that I have ever kept and still have 5 of the 6 (3" - 5"). The only one that I have lost to date was from an attack from a Green Spotted Puffer. Never kept them in less that one Tablespoon (not teaspoon) per Gallon (NOT 10 Gallon) water. It is still sub-brackish and under 1.005 SG.
They are also agressive eaters and take clam, bloodworm, blackworm, brine shrimp, market shrimp & fish. I think that there is a misunderstanding with the starvation of the flounder.
They are not shy or particularly slow. What they ARE is obligatory bottom feeders. I have NEVER seen one of my Flounder come so much as 1/2" off of the bottom in pursuit of food. The middle and upper level inhabitants will ALWAYS feed first.
Most bottom feeders WILL go to the middle and upper levels to feed if their tankmates require that for their survival. The FW flounder I have NEVER seen do this. They will NOT go to another level to feed, and starve if plenty of food is NOT available on the bottom.
I have less than ZERO challenge getting food to my Flounders with tankmates of (Emerald Puffer, Swortails, Sailfin Mollies & Belonsox). The biggest issue that people who failed to successfully keep these FW flounders is sticking to the golden rule of Aquarium feeding in the hobby. If you follow the golden rule, you will kill your flounder!
The Golden rule is that you never "overfeed" a tank. This is the exception to the rule. These tanks MUST be so grossly overfed that nothing short of thouough bottom vaccuming at LEAST once per week is ABSOLUTELY required. This does NOT necessarily equate to a water change either. A thourough bottom vaccume can be done on a tank with less than 5% W/C.
Obviously it would be the ideal to thouroughly vacumm immediatly prior to the daily massive food load.
I have had serious tank mate problems with both Guppies and glass shrimp for the FW flounder. The larger guppies picked on the Flounder. The glass shrimp loared the puffers to the lower level of the tank in pursuit of food. The close proximaty was not great for the flounder, and an occasional skirmish over a shrimp would occur as a result. The GSP was too agressive and was removed when it killed the only flounder that I have lost to date.
They are also agressive eaters and take clam, bloodworm, blackworm, brine shrimp, market shrimp & fish. I think that there is a misunderstanding with the starvation of the flounder.
They are not shy or particularly slow. What they ARE is obligatory bottom feeders. I have NEVER seen one of my Flounder come so much as 1/2" off of the bottom in pursuit of food. The middle and upper level inhabitants will ALWAYS feed first.
Most bottom feeders WILL go to the middle and upper levels to feed if their tankmates require that for their survival. The FW flounder I have NEVER seen do this. They will NOT go to another level to feed, and starve if plenty of food is NOT available on the bottom.
I have less than ZERO challenge getting food to my Flounders with tankmates of (Emerald Puffer, Swortails, Sailfin Mollies & Belonsox). The biggest issue that people who failed to successfully keep these FW flounders is sticking to the golden rule of Aquarium feeding in the hobby. If you follow the golden rule, you will kill your flounder!
The Golden rule is that you never "overfeed" a tank. This is the exception to the rule. These tanks MUST be so grossly overfed that nothing short of thouough bottom vaccuming at LEAST once per week is ABSOLUTELY required. This does NOT necessarily equate to a water change either. A thourough bottom vaccume can be done on a tank with less than 5% W/C.
Obviously it would be the ideal to thouroughly vacumm immediatly prior to the daily massive food load.
I have had serious tank mate problems with both Guppies and glass shrimp for the FW flounder. The larger guppies picked on the Flounder. The glass shrimp loared the puffers to the lower level of the tank in pursuit of food. The close proximaty was not great for the flounder, and an occasional skirmish over a shrimp would occur as a result. The GSP was too agressive and was removed when it killed the only flounder that I have lost to date.
