Yellow Headed Jawfish compatibility

[Freyr]

I was just curious if Y.H. jawfish would be okay in a tank with two firefish. Would they leave each other alone or would there be some aggresion?
(Also, what is a reasonable price for a yellow head jawfish?)

[Angel*Fish]

I don't think you'd have a problem. How big is your tank? I think you might eventually encounter a problem with the firefish getting along with each other.

Keeping jawfish long-term requires meeting their very specific needs. Most reef tanks don't qualify.

[Freyr]

I haven't been able to find a Yellow Head, but a LFS has a tiger jawfish. Would these be similar in size and temperment to the Yellow Head?
Would it be fine with the firefish?

[Amy83820]

I don't know about the tiger jawfish, but the yellow-head would be fine with the firefish. I would worry about the firefish being together tho....are they a male and female? If they are the same sex, one will eventually kill the other. This isn't for the 15 gallon, is it? If so, i wouldn't add any other fish. 2 firefish are plenty for a 15. You also have to have certain substrate for a jawfish.

[Freyr]

I don't have the firefish yet, but i planned on getting them. If that is too much for the tank, I guess I'll have to pick which I want, jawfish or firefish. hmmm:confused:

[Angel*Fish]

I'm sorry say it, but in my opinion at least, jawfish are not great beginner fish. If you totally research them & follow the best advice out there, it might be ok - but there's a lot of info out there from people who had one for less than a year.

I don't know how deep your tank is, but after you put in the correct & deep enough substrate, it might be rather shallow for a fish whose startle response is to shoot straight up really fast -- basically out of your tank. It doesn't have to be another fish, it can be someone walking by the tank, for instance.

My vote is 15g is too small for a jawfish.

Smaller blennies, 1 firefish, royal gramma, pink skunks, oscellaris, highfin gobies, clown gobies are just some of the nice alternatives you have.

[Freyr]

You're right angel fish, as a beginner I shouldn't jeopordize the life of one of these fishes. I guess I get one later once a have more experiance and a bigger tank. :p Ill just stick with a firefish and maybe a small goby or blenny. Thanks for the advice.

[reefgeek84]

As long as a yellowheaded jawfish has at least a 2-3" sandbed with pieces of different subtrate of all different sizes, they will be fine...they are very easy to care for...but yes they are jumpers. They are fine with all fish unless the fish get to close the his home/holes, they can not be house with anysort of eel, as the eel will dive into thier hole and eat the jawfish and then claim the jawfishes burrow as thier own.

[Jeremy Blaze]

reefgeek84, have you kept a jawfish, if so for how long?

IMO and as stated in Scott Michaels reef fish volume 1, the need more than 2-3" of substrate, really, 5-6" is a minimum.

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7437518#post7437518 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jeremy Blaze
reefgeek84, have you kept a jawfish, if so for how long?

IMO and as stated in Scott Michaels reef fish volume 1, the need more than 2-3" of substrate, really, 5-6" is a minimum. I agree. There is a lot to know about them to have success - for example, they tend to "freak out" if the lights don't go on & off gradually - leading to jumping, and being out of their holes which equals high stress then disease or jumping or constantly digging more burrows.

They aren't "unkeepable" -- there is just a lot you need to know & do to be successful.

S.Michael is an expert and can probably keep this fish in a 2" bed, but nobody else should :)