All fish / Soleidae

Freshwater Sole

Achiroides melanorhynchus

Also known as freshwater flounder, black-nosed sole, asian freshwater sole, freshwater sole, black nose sole, ปลาซีกเดียว, ปลายอดม่วง, ikan lidah, ikan sebelah, 淡水鳎, 黑吻无臂鳎

A small, oval flatfish with both eyes on the right side, coloured mottled brown with darker spots so it blends into sand. It is kept as a curiosity because it buries itself, shuffles across the bottom and can cling to the glass.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small group; several can share a tank with enough sand

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen bloodworm, blackworm, brine shrimp and small crustaceans; rarely accepts dried food

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southeast Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo (Mekong, Chao Phraya and Sundaland rivers)

Breeding

Not known to have been bred in home aquariums; trade specimens are wild caught.

Good to know

Often sold as a brackish fish but this species lives in fresh water; it needs a soft sand substrate and live or frozen foods, and many starve if kept with fast feeders. Do not confuse with brackish soles such as Brachirus species, which need salt.