New Blue Spotted Jawfish

[NMC]

I got him yesterday! Currently, he's in the QT. I went through all this trouble of putting some sand, pvc, rubble, shells in a tupperware in the qt. Silly fish just hangs out on the barebottom. So I put some more PVC on the bottom. He hides behind it, not in it.

Hope is fading that he will utilize the PVC tunnel system awaiting him in the display tank, but oh well. He's a great looking fish, very skittish, but seems to be calming down some.

Any input on caring for this fish? I know they jump....dt and qt are lidded. On the QT I put masking tank on small openings for cords, HOB filter, etc. just to be extra safe in the jumping department.

I keep my dt at about 78 degrees. I read in several places (but not in others) that this fish prefers cooler temps. Is 78 cool enough?

[MARINECRITTERS]

spot feed, no anemones since they are not very aware of there surroundings, lots of hiding spots, no predators such as coral bandeds ( i lost mine to one ), Do not put them with other goby/blenny like fish. One more thing is house this fish with non aggressive fish.
My blue spot jawfish liked 78F

[nonimmigrant]

My three are in with my female pearly for the time being but are being moved into the 400 in two weeks. My male has his den as does one of the females, but the third is a gypsy moving dens every week or so. Agree on not having any cnardins that can capture he fish as they do move about while becoming acclimated. Low stress tank mates are also a plus depending on the size of your system.

[NMC]

My tank is small....28 gallons. Right now there is just a firefish in there. I plan to add a yasha gobi/pistol shrimp pair after the jawfish has established himself comfortably. Then maybe one more fish....something meek and peaceful. I have some barnacles...maybe a barnacle blenny? Also considering a pygmy wrasse or yellow assessor. Checked all these out on the thread about posting your planned fish and got a OK on these guys. Added the firefish first as I was told that was the most timid fish, the jawfish coming in a close second in terms of skittishness.

On another note....my fish isn't stupid after all. He figured out to go INSIDE the pvc instead of behind it. He pokes his head up out of several openings.

[nonimmigrant]

Umm, I would not add Yashas after the BSJF. Your tank is too small for them to co-exist. I took the Yashas out of my 225G after my male Pearly kept picking them up - like a dog would a bone - taking them to the other side of the tank and spit them out. Would never hurt them, but you could tell that he was very annoyed...

[Fish Biscuit]

I got an ok on the jawfish too & I'm upgrading to a 28 soon & already have a yasha/pistol pair. If you got the ok from Steve you should be fine. My yasha barely leaves the burrow to eat, most times I shoot food in their direction, big lazy.... I just plan on scaping so there are multiple places stacked with LR instead of one cluster in the middle so there shouldn't be any fighting.

[NMC]

So far, and granted, I've only had him 3 days, he seems to be a pretty picky eater. Ignores pellets, flakes, Rods. Only eating frozen mysis thus far. Are these guys known to be picky eaters or is it just because he's so new and unsettled? My only other fish, the firefish, eats any and everything.

[NMC]

I got this fish from Live Aquaria. They must spot feed them with a pipette because this fish won't eat anything floating right by his face, but if I put the same food (shrimp, flake, pellet) in a pipette and feed it, he gobbles it up.

[alexrex20]

I disagree about the anemones and the coral banded shrimp. Jawfish are VERY aware of their surroundings, and they can easily defend themselves against a coral banded shrimp. If the other guy found the shrimp eating the jawfish, it's because the jawfish died and the shrimp found and consumed it. No decent sized fish in good health could be taken by a coral banded shrimp.

And yes, blue spotted jawfish are notoriously difficult to keep. They have a very high mortality rate. Not only can they be difficult to feed, but they can also come down with "bluespot jawfish disease," which is exclusive to them and to which there seems to be no cure.

Good luck though!

[alexrex20]

I got this fish from Live Aquaria. They must spot feed them with a pipette because this fish won't eat anything floating right by his face, but if I put the same food (shrimp, flake, pellet) in a pipette and feed it, he gobbles it up.

It's only been a few days. Once it settles in, it should become a much more active eater.

Be sure you have a proper substrate. They require a deep sandbed. In my experience, they like gravel of varied sizes, with lots of pea to chestnut sized rubble for them to create their burrows with.