Which Fishes Rest on Their Sides?

Summer and Winter Flounders

• Winter and summer flounders are both flatfish that rest on their sides. The winter flounder have a smaller mouth that doesn't stretch back beyond its eyes. When winter flounders are facing to the right, their eyes are on the top side of their bodies. For this reason, they are called "right-handed flounders." Winter types are known as "blackbacks" when they weigh under 3 lbs. and "lemon sole" when they're heavier. During the winter, winter flounder move to shallower and warmer inshore waters. They are caught in the spring along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia.

  Summer flounders have much larger and wider mouths than their winter relatives. They live in coastal waters between Maine's southern Gulf coast and Florida. Summer flounders, also known as "flukes," are described as "left-handed flounders" because both eyes are on the top of this fish's head when it faces to the left. Summer flounders are chameleon-like fish that change color, depending on their surroundings.

Triggerfish

• Triggerfish are tropical fish native to the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They live near rocks and reefs, where species like gray and reef triggerfishes rest on their sides. Triggerfish have deep and flat bodies. They also have pointed dorsal fins, sharp teeth and eyes that move independently of each other. In aquariums, triggerfish like water temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They are aggressive fish that demand much feeding and will even attack other fish larger than themselves. Species such as blueline triggerfish will eat decor features in aquariums, including the coral. One of the reasons this fish is popular with aquarium lovers is that the fish can be trained to come to the owner at feeding time. Caution must be exercised in handling fish with sharp teeth. These teeth are what cause divers to avoid them in the wild.

Clown Loach

• Another fish that rests on its side is the Clown Loach. This fish is a comical slow-moving tropical fish native to Indonesia, Sumatra and Borneo. These easy-going aquarium dwellers enjoy the company of their own species and form a school if more than two are present in a tank. These tank cleaners take their names from feeding antics, such as floating on their backs, while making a clicking noise. Clown Loach have striped, thick, rounded bodies with flat bellies. Their scales are yellow-orange in color and feature three vertical black bands marking their bodies from head to tail. These fish need caves and shelters and prefer temperatures between 73 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Siamese Fighting Fish

• Siamese fighting fish, also known as betta fish, are easy-to-care-for tropical fish from southeast Asia. These highly decorative fish rest on their backs and are available in varies colors, including blues, reds, pinks and black. Siamese fighting fish are often kept as sole occupants of aquariums, as their fighting nature is aroused if they share a tank with others. Only one male at a time can live in a single aquarium. Two or more will fight each other.