I just hijacked this thread and I apologize for that, I suck at life.

I was the reason that StevieT designed the mediabaskets.com BC29 Fish Saver with a horizontal piece on top. So with that installed, there is NO way the Jawfish can get to the back chambers.

I've had the BSJF for a few months -- I got him from a trusted LFS who had the fish in their system for quite some time. He was eating frozen mysis readily and very healthy looking.

sorry to bring up this old thread but I was wondering if this contraption eliminates the need for a 4-5 inch sand bed... seems to me that you would only need enough sand to cover the entire burrow, except the entrance. Or does the fish still go and creates secondary burrows?

The reason I made the burrow was because I thought my two inch sand be was not sufficient. My jawfish ( and I've been through three) have all used it exclusively. Although, a couple of them would venture out from time to time and hang out in a certain nook under the live rock.

My jawfish digs all the time.. he has a mansion but he ventures and I find him in new burrows all the time. Its kinda nice because the wrasse, hogfish and firefish use his other burrows... they kinda switch rooms every now and then its interesting.

I am really debating this now but I have an open top. I suppose the tank needs to be screened in and I have to find a clean way of doing that that looks professional. I have so much acrylic tubing that I could use but PVC looks easier because of the bends.

does screen material cut down on too much light?

I like these little homes. I had a yellowhead jawfish for over a year, but I built my tank with a 5" sand bed. It was always fun to see where he would build his burrow. Sadly, he died, but now I am planning for my next jawfish, so I may consider something like this. One thing I would miss, based on my previous jawfish experience, is the playful tossing of sand jawfish are known for.

My jawfish still moves sand around, but it is basically just him taking sand from the front of the tank and piling it up in front of the Jawfish condo

Is it better to have more space open on the bottom for them? I have about 30 +/- of live rock and I am wondering if I should remove some pieces to give my future jawfish more room.

the diy jawfish home is one of the coolest things I've seen on this site. what ingenuity and fun!

StevieT-

Use 1/4" pond screen. It is narrow enough to keep things in and is UV treated so it doesn't deteriorate over time as badly. Here is a link to a thread on a DIY screen. Don't bother with the clear mesh. The pond screen doesn't cut down on the lighting badly enough to matter one way or the other.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...threadid=888670

talk to kathyc on manhattanreefs.com

she makes a mesh screen cover for those that choose to run open top. i have been thinking about getting one

Anyone interested in a funny jawfish house check out my thread!

It involved Paco the Puffer and some PVC piping!

i freaking love this because its just THAT stupid. Make it a Miller Lite Can FTW!

so i got a blue spot jawfish but i couldn't get him to try out the condo I made. he decided to take up residence behind some rocks. Is there anyway I can get him to move into the PVC piping?

the easiest way ive seen to get the BSJ to take to its home is to sink a tupperware container with a hole in the lid and with the fish inside the water-filled, sunken tupperware container, turn it upside down (lid down) so the house will fit up into the container. that way, the fish has no where to go besides into its new DIY home.

let it sit for awhile and then remove the tupperware container

yea, i tried that the first time, but he escaped and now is in my rock work. i tried capturing him again and doing the method, but once again, he escaped. any method to get him into the condo without catching him?

Great thread.
TY.
I am going to make a large system of tunnel in my next tank. Wonder how the fish will like it.

Try feeding near the condo. He may relocate to get closer to the food.

Do you have to have the jaw fish house go all the way around in a square? my houst is just a curved piece connected to a longer piece of PVC pipe... i didnt have enough sand to coverup the whole thing without it looking wierd

bump

i got a few questions
1) what diameter PVC did you use?
2) could i keep a dusky jawfish in an 8gal BC?

I believe most are using 1" pvc.

thanks DT,

also how small should the holes in the PVC be?

both of your questions are covered on the first page...

whoops, must have missed that sorry

So I went throught the process, made the square tube using 1" pvc, ordered the barnacle online, epoxied it all to gether and it looks great. My Black Cap Jawfish came in the other day and I tried to coax it in there using the tupperware method, he escaped through a crack made during a readjustment, and now resides in a tunnel system, nowhere near the barnacle. Hopefully he discovers it at some point.

Here is my goby house, I got a yellow watchman goby and it moved right in.

Question about this...I built something similar to this and was wondering about it......

I bought all the pieces however none are threaded they are all slip....Since im putting it in water and will have water in it i dont have to worry about sealing it right? I bought a 1/16" drill bit and put holes in the top like the one pictured in here. I also used a 3/4" 45 degree angle for the top to go on the T and it will stick out of the sand. This should be good right?


This is for a YWG. the smallest tubes are 3/4"

That should be good, I'm wondering if the fact that the pieces fit loosely together will cause things to shift and sand may start coming in through the cracks.

Oh they arent together loosely...They are tight as crap. I tried to reposition the entrance after i got it in the water and under the sand and found out really fast it wouldnt happen. So i had to take it back out and beg it to move some more.

Could someone please provide what fish species will successfully host in this home I have been looking at gobys blennies etc... looking for something that will be attracted this home I built one and it is installed in tank just waiting for tank to cycle...

Any one tried this with Convit Blennys?

would I be able to add a jawfish to a 10 gallon with one of these bad boys? I don't want my sand bed to be like 4 inches deep

Should work fine, that was OP made this for.

I made one of these for my 40B.
I used krylon to paint the entrance. When that dried I gooped on superglue then stuffed it in sand.
Now the outside matches the sandbed with the inside black.
I'll have to take a pic of it and post.

hmmm is a 5 gallon a stretch?
im planning on doing this
but i cant afford a screw-up
i only have a 1 inch substrate depth,
however im planning on making a mound
where the burrow will be

Well, it was a good run.

My Jawfish officially abandoned his PVC+Barnacle Condo last night, after having lived in it since Dec 22nd, 2008. I'm so disappointed, but I guess every Blue Spotted Jawfish has to venture out sooner or later.

He's currently digging burrows under my live rock and making a mess with the sugar-sized sand ... I changed over to LEDs yesterday, and the increase in light must have stressed him out.

Damn.

Edit: Yey! My BSJF moved back into his PVC+Barnacle Condo. I guess his 6 day vacation is over.

Bumping this thread up from the dead. I made a house today, too. Unfortunately, my jawfish already made a traditional burrow behind the rock work. I'm hoping lack of food back there will get him to explore the front and find the house. I'll give it a few weeks before I start messing with him at his old home to make him leave.

wow i was just going to bump this because i just got a blue spotted jaw fish... and it has been sitting in the Tupperware thing for like 30 min.... how long did it take yours to find the house? mine looks like crap.... not the fish... the house

Hey! I like yours It has a little baby barnacle like mine does:

this would be great if someone would make the tubing out of something transparent and the bury it in sand right along the front of the tank so you could an above ground and underground view of the home

That does sound awesome. But what if it doesnt like the fact that the inside of the burrow is bright from the room light? or is that not a factor?

I so plan on doing this when I get my BSJF -great idea!

Here is the one I made, I made mine with a back door so the little guy could have somewhere to escape to if he wanted. I used rock rubble since I couldnt find a barnacle

Awesome idea and thread, might have to get a jawfish just so i can make one of these.

I was reading this thread on my laptop while on the toilet, took me awhile to get through all the pages but i was to into the thread to get up. Now my legs asleep and im stuck. Someone want to come pull a "lethal weapon 2" and pull me off the toilet into the tub?

Do i NEED a shell or some entrance? Can it be like this? Its cause I cant find any barnacle or shell.




Also, how big/wide does the entrance hole have to be?

You dont NEED a shell for the entrance, it just looks better.

The original poster made his entrance 3/4inch along with the rest of it.

Just put the house under the sand and put some small pieces of live rock rubble around the pvc entrance to make it look better and to hide the pvc.

Alright! Thanks for the answer. I don't have any tools so I got a HD employee to cut my pvc pipes for me. (: I literally brought the finished product to the cashier and they looked at me weirdly and I had to explain to them. And whew, my pipes are 3/4 inch

This thread owns! Keep it up!