Urinary bladders from seawater-acclimated (SW) flounder had a transepithelial resistance (Rt) of congruent to 2,000 omega X cm2 and absorbed Na and Cl at equal rates of about 3 mueq X cm-2 X h-1 in an electrically silent manner; the short-circuit current (Isc) was 0.03 +/- 0.01 mueq X cm-2 X h-1. The transport of Na and Cl was only partially coupled. Removal of Na (or Cl) from the bathing solutions reduced net Cl (or Na) absorption by only 60%, yet there was neither a change in transepithelial potential nor the appearance of a short-circuit current that could be associated with the net Cl (or Na) transport that remained. Bladders from freshwater-acclimated (FW) flounder had a fivefold lower Rt and exhibited the same partially coupled and equal Na and Cl transport, but the ion transport rates were twice as large as those of SW bladders and the bladders exhibited a significant Isc of 0.51 +/- 0.08 mueq X cm-2 X h-1. The rate of fluid transport was much lower in FW than in SW bladders, reflecting a sixfold decrease in hydraulic conductivity (Lp). In both SW and FW bladders a large portion of the serosal-to-mucosal ion movement appears to be through nonconductive pathways.