European flounder (Platichthys flesus)

Scientific name: Platichthys flesus Linnaeus, 1758

European flounder (Platichthys flesus)

The European flounder (Platichthys flesus) is a freshwater fish of the family Pleuronectidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 5–25°C (41–77°F).

European flounder care at a glance

Temperature
5–25°C (41–77°F)

Biology

Migratory fish, which is most of the year found in estuaries. Occurs on mud and sand bottom in shallow water, at sea and brackish; often entering freshwaters. During winter, adults retreat to deeper, warmer waters, where they spawn in spring. The growing larvae are moving to the coast. The growing larvae are moving to the coast. Larvae and early juveniles use selective tidal transport to migrate upstream rivers using a range of triggers such as salinity, prey density and water temperature. Juveniles live in shallow coastal waters and estuaries, which are also the summer feeding grounds for the adults. Juveniles of less than a year old feed on plankton and larvae of insects, juveniles of more than a year and adults feed on benthic faun

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Platichthys flesus
Family
Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders)
Order
Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
60.0
Common length
50.0
Depth range
1–100 m (3–328 ft)
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish;; pH range: 7.5 - 8.2 demersal; catadromous; depth range 1 - 100 m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: coastal and brackish waters of western Europe and from the White Sea to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Introduced into the USA and Canada accidentally through transport in ballast water. Asia: Iran.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.22-0.3; tm=2-5; tmax=15; Fec= 2 million)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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