Fun Flounder Facts For Kids

Flounder Fish belong to the same group as halibut, which are an unusual species of flatfish. Just as the name suggests, these fish are thin, round, and lie flat on the surface of the water. Their flat bodies help them blend with the surrounding. These are small fish that are mostly found in the oceans, coastal water, near the docks, bridges, and reefs. Flounders are lurking predators, and use their quality to blend in with the surface to catch their food.  These species of flatfish can change the color of their body in just two to eight seconds. They can be distinguished easily because of their eyes and their flat body.

Flounders are nocturnal animals, that is they are mostly active during the night. They can live up to three - eight years in the wild. They swim sideways and are mostly found in saltwater. A flounder's origin may be European, Atlantic, and more. The bottom part of their body is light in color, while the upper part along with the eyes is bright. The eyes are always looking for prey from the nearby waters. They can be differentiated on the basis of color and the location of their eyes. The species of Bothidae and Paralichthyidae have their eye on the left, whereas the Pleuronectidae family has its on the right. Keep reading to know more about summer flounder facts, southern flounder facts, and more.

If you are curious to know about other animals, check out Codfish and Herring.
 

What type of animal is a Flounder?

A flounder is a fish.

What class of animal does a Flounder belong to?

A Flounder belongs to the class of fish.

How many Flounders are there in the world?

There are about 30 million flounders in the world.

Where does a Flounder live?

The ocean. Flounder fish are mostly found in coastal areas. They live on the waterside of tropical and temperate coastal waters, near docks, bridges, or reefs. Each species has its preference in terms of habitat, some like to stay in between water while others like to rest and wait for smaller aquatic species to approach. A lot of these fishes can be found deepest trench of the ocean. Did you know? In 1960, a scientist found these fish in the Mariana Trench. The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean.

Who do Flounders live with?

These flatfish live solitary lives, whereas some live in similar habitats. It depends on their population at that particular place, and the type of flounder too.

How long does a Flounder live?

These fish live for three - 10 years on average. Their life depends on many factors. Especially due to global warming, the lives of these aquatic animals are threatened. Water pollution is another important reason that leads to the death of a lot of species that live in water. These animals consume the waste that is thrown into water bodies and often die because of it. Other reasons for their death can be if they fall prey to other animals such as sharks, even fishing by human beings causes death to a lot of these flounders.

How do they reproduce?

The mating process starts during the hottest season of the year. Female flounders release eggs, and at the same time male flounders release sperm in the water. The formed eggs float on the surface because of the presence of an oil bubble, which protects it too. Larvae hatch from the fertilized eggs a couple of weeks later. The larva then swims in the water, and it looks like a normal fish. It has an eye on each side of its head unlike a flounder; the shifting of one eye starts as it grows. On the completion of this process, these fish are considered full-grown flounders. The look of these fish depends upon their area of birth and surrounding, even their coloration varies.

What is their conservation status?

Since people are not aware and are mercilessly fishing these species for their own benefit, their conservation status is of Least Concern.

What do Flounders look like?

Flounders are dark on the front and lighter towards the bottom. Their eyes are on the same side of their body after being fully grown. However, this does not apply to the bay flounders, who look like any other fish when they are born.

How cute are they?

These flatfishes are not cute to look at because of their eyes being on one side of their body.

How do they communicate?

Flounders communicate by gestures and motion.

How big is a Flounder?

Male flounders are smaller than female flounder fishes. Female flounders are 20-23 inches long, which is approximately four times the size of a goldfish.

How fast can a Flounder swim?

A flounder can swim at speeds of  70 mph.

How much does a Flounder weigh?

Flounders weigh about 17lb-20lb (8-9 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no particular name for its male and female species. They are divided into families with different features and have more than 300 species in total.

What would you call a baby Flounder?

A baby flounder is called a larva.

What do they eat?

Flounder fishes are carnivorous, which means they eat other aquatic life. They select their food based on their size. For instance, smaller flatfish will eat worms, and insects or small fish, whereas the larger ones will prey on fish, crab, shrimp, etc.

Are they dangerous?

A flatfish is not dangerous for human beings but is dangerous for smaller animals that live inside water, or worms. They can be found deep inside the water or on the mussy surface in coastal areas with a good population. They can find prey in both these places, but due to overfishing, their existence is threatened by human beings.

Would they make a good pet?

Because flounders are mostly found on coral reefs or sea bottoms but eat other aquatic lives and so, they cannot be kept at home or as a pet. Although, some species of Paralichthys can become good pets and can be kept at home aquariums. It is advised to research well about this fish before purchasing it, especially because a lot of these species prey on other marine life. Due to this, they might eat other animals present in the same aquarium.

Did you know...

Flounder fishes have both eyes on one side of their bodies, but it is not the same since birth. It is one of the flounder fish facts that their one eye migrates to one side of their body as they grow. They begin their life like any other regular fish but undergo metamorphosis during their development phase. Both of its eyes can move independently. Apart from their eye, the shape of their skull and pigment of their body also changes.

These species become lighter on the belly and darker on the back, this phenomenon is called countershading. After this process is complete, they go to the seaside and blend with the surrounding because of its back and its eye positioned in a way to attack its prey as soon as it approaches.

Like every other fish, flounders do not menstruate and only go through a spawning period twice a year.  

The color of the body of a flounder indicates its emotional state.  The ones that are threatened are usually pale in color.

Do people eat Flounder?

Yes, flounders can be eaten by humans. In fact, these groups of fishes are largely targeted by fishermen who consider their meat to be of amazing quality. Flounder are considered to have high protein meat, unlike a lot of other species. Few of the most popular flounders are located on the Atlantic coast of North America, the northern Pacific Ocean, and along the coasts of Europe.

Different types of Flounder

The name of the main types of Flounder is Summer Flounder, Winter Flounder, Gulf Flounder, Olive Flounder, European Flounder, Witch Flounder, and Southern Flounder. Summer Flounders are also called Fluke or Northern Flounders, Winter flounders can also be called Blackback Flounders.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish including tarpon fish and swai fish.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our flounder coloring pages.