This fish has both eyes on the left side of his body. The eyed side of the fish is scattered with 10-14 eye-like spots that blend in with the ocean floor. When you look at it from above it is hard to see. It has a white belly or underside.
Flounder are bottom-dwelling creatures. They use their flattened shape and ability to change color and patterns on the eyed side of their bodies. This allows them to partially burrow in the sediment, lie and wait for their prey. They are efficient predators with quick movements and well-developed teeth. This allows them to capture small fish, squid, seaworms, shrimp, and other crustaceans.
They are largely restricted to waters south of Annapolis. These fish live in the coastal and estuarine waters from spring to fall and move offshore to depths of 100 to 600 feet during the winter. They migrate because of the decreasing water temperatures.
Spawning begins around age 2 when the fish are approximately 12 inches long. They spawn in the fall and winter months.
The larvae or baby fish drift and migrate near the coastal and estuarine nursery areas. These larvae look more like other fish than they look like their parents. As they grow they will change their appearance so they look more like a summer flounder. Their eyes will be on one side of their body and the body will flatten. They become bottom dwelling and spend their first year in eelgrass beds of the bay or inshore areas.
