Pan sole
Brachirus pan
An unusual freshwater and brackish flatfish, known for its ability to camouflage perfectly with sandy substrates. Requires live or fresh foods and fine sand.
Water Temperature
22 - 28 °C
pH Value
7 - 8
Water type
Freshwater / Brackish
Tank level
Bottom
Adult size
10 cm
Minimum tank volume
>= 120 L
Minimum group
>= 1
GH
10 - 20 dGH
KH
5 - 10 dKH
TDS
200 - 400 ppm
Conductivity
313 - 625 uS/cm
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the fresh and brackish waters of South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand. It inhabits estuaries, river deltas, and slow-moving channels with muddy or sandy bottoms.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Belongs to the family Soleidae, genus Brachirus. Features a highly flattened, asymmetrical body with both eyes located on the right side of the head. The dorsal and anal fins are confluent with the caudal fin.
Social Behavior: Peaceful, shy, and benthic. It spends most of the daytime buried in the sand with only its eyes exposed, waiting to ambush prey and avoiding predators.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Highly cryptic mottled brown or grey dorsal coloration that mimics sand or silt. The blind side (underside) is pale white. There is no visible sexual dimorphism.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 30 gallons (100-120 liters) with a large footprint. The substrate must consist of fine, smooth sand (at least 3-5 cm deep) to allow burrowing without scraping its delicate skin.
Diet and Feeding: Hard to feed micro-predator. Rarely accepts dry foods. Offer live or frozen foods placed on the bottom: bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, and small worms. Feeding should be done at night or after lights out.
Water Quality: Prefers slightly brackish water but adapts well to hard freshwater. Target parameters: pH 7.2-8.0, moderate to high hardness (GH 10-20), temperature 22-26°C (72-79°F). Gentle water movement is preferred.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Extremely peaceful. Avoid housing with aggressive bottom dwellers or fast feeders that will outcompete it for food (such as large catfish or loaches). Suitable with peaceful midwater fish.
Aquarium Breeding: Not successfully bred in aquaria.
Risks and Diseases: Highly susceptible to skin infections and ulcers if kept on coarse gravel. Starvation is a common risk due to its slow feeding habits and cryptic lifestyle.
Geographic origin and distribution
Native to the fresh and brackish waters of South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand. It inhabits estuaries, river deltas, and slow-moving channels with muddy or sandy bottoms.
Origin
Tropical oceans and reefsSouth and Southeast Asia
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- The overall temperament of Brachirus pan can be described as peaceful. Understanding their personality is vital for maintaining a peaceful and stress-free environment. They may exhibit unique behaviors when interacting with their surroundings or during feeding time. Careful consideration of their disposition leads to a more rewarding fishkeeping experience.
- Diet
- Carnivore
- The natural diet of Brachirus pan is primarily carnivorous. In captivity, they should be offered a varied selection of high-quality foods to meet their nutritional needs. Incorporating both dry commercial diets and frozen or live options will ensure optimal health and coloration. A varied diet prevents nutritional deficiencies.
- Life expectancy
- 2-5 years
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Sex ratio
- Solitary
- The ideal sex ratio for keeping Brachirus pan is typically solitary. Keeping them in these numbers helps reduce intraspecific aggression and mimics their natural social structure. Providing ample hiding spots can further alleviate tension among dominant individuals. Always monitor the group dynamics when introducing new specimens.
- Feeding frequency
- Once daily
- Feeding Brachirus pan should generally be done daily. It is important to provide only what they can consume in a few minutes to prevent leftover food from decaying. Establishing a regular feeding schedule helps keep the fish active and healthy. Adjust the frequency if you observe signs of undernourishment or overfeeding.
- Bioload
- Low to Medium
- The bioload produced by Brachirus pan is generally considered medium. This means that the filtration system must be adequately sized to handle their waste output. Regular water changes and tank maintenance are strongly recommended to keep the environment healthy. Failure to do so can result in poor water quality and stress the fish.
- Flow
- Stagnant
- In their natural habitat, Brachirus pan experiences water flow that is low. Replicating this in the aquarium is crucial for their well-being and natural behavior. Appropriate water movement aids in oxygenation and prevents dead spots in the tank. Utilizing adjustable powerheads can help achieve the perfect balance.
- Jump risk
- No
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- Regarding reproduction, Brachirus pan is known to be a unknown. Breeding them in a home aquarium requires specific water parameters and a dedicated setup. Providing the correct spawning media and conditioning the adults with high-quality foods will increase success. Raising the fry can be challenging and requires specialized microscopic foods initially.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Aggressive
- When it comes to compatibility, Brachirus pan is characterized as peaceful. They should be housed with tank mates that share similar water requirements and temperament. Care must be taken not to include species that could easily become prey or outcompete them for food. Observation is key to ensuring a harmonious community.
- Tank level
- Bottom
- In the aquarium, Brachirus pan prefers to occupy the bottom level. Designing the aquascape to cater to this preference ensures the fish feel secure and display their best colors. Ensure that there is adequate swimming space and appropriate decor in their preferred zone. This vertical distribution also allows for careful selection of tank mates that occupy other levels.
Scientific Parameters & Models
FishBase
Window to the official scientific data of the species
FishBase v25.04Data synced on: 06/15/2026
- Trophic level
- 3.6 ± 0.5 se
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
- Phylogenetic uniqueness (PD50)
- 0.5
- Bayesian Length-Weight
- a = 0.00912, b = 3.06
- VulnerabilityLow vulnerability (10 / 100)
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
