this wouldnt work with sand though would it?
only like crushed coral etc.?

why wouldnt it work with sand? it only needs to be buried so it looks pleasing to you, doesnt matter whats covering it

because sand is fine grain and will easily fall through the holes..

or is there a way to prevent that?

Thought I'd add photos of the DIY Jawfish house I built - I obviously used Stoney's plans



Here are some photos of me introducing him to the tank, and making sure he tried out his new house before I let him run around the tank digging holes As you can see, I basically took a disposable plastic container and cut a hole in the top of it large enough for the Barnacle Shells to fit in. I put it in the tank so it floated at the top, and netted the jawfish and plopped him in. I then covered the hole, inverted the container, and placed it on top of the Barnacle home.





I've had the Blue Spotted Jawfish for about a month now, and he loves his home. He hangs around in there 98% of the time.

He even has a few chunks of Live Rock Rubble that he uses as a "Door" at night. When the lights go out, he drags these rock pieces in front of the barnacle opening to close it up for the evening. So fun to watch!

this is an awesome thread.

how much do blue spotted jawfish cost at a LFS? average price?

You can drill holes in the side so fine grand sand won't fall through. The holes you drill should be pretty small otherwise your jawfish will be spitting and out all day.

I think average price for these guys is $140 or so. You can find them cheaper sometimes though.

$109 at thatfishplace.com

I was talking to my LFS about Blue Spotted Jawfish (BSJF) and learned some pretty interesting information. Apparently they are all live caught, and often times arrive at wholesalers and retailers with diseases and general health issues. My LFS said that when they received BSJF, they immediately quarantine them and treat them in copper water as well as with antibiotics. They don't want to see if the BSJF is showing signs of disease, they just assume the fish is ill and treat it accordingly.

Using the above practice, they've only lost one BSJF over their many years of business. I talked to a wholesaler in my town also about this, and he agreed, saying that his source cited a "high mortality rate" for BSJF.

So what's my point? My careful about where you get the fish from ... if you're going to drop $100 - $150 on a BSJF, make sure it has been quarantined and treated accordingly, and make sure it is healthy/eating when you purchase it.

what happens when a snail or a crab goes inside? Will the jawfish attack it?

Mine just push the snails out.

LFS by me sell the BlueSpot for $100...there's like 3 local to me right now that have been in stock for a few months now and healthy.

My BSJF loves to pick on my Emerald Crab. The crab will walk along the front glass of the tank ... and when he gets to the middle of the tank, where the jawfish is, he knows to hurry up or he'll get nipped at.

If anything fall inside the jawfish will immediately pick it up and eject it. Sometimes I will purposely drop a hermit inside because it is so damn funny to watch.

what do you guys use to glue the shell down to the pipe?

You can use any reef-safe epoxy putty. Aquamend is the brand I used.

awesome stuff

I paid $18 for my pearly jawfish

I am making on of these tomorrow for my new tank

I made one of these but instead of a barnacle I used a pack of camel lights.

Copycat...

omg new avatar !!

I was just thinking what if you put a thin clear resin around the camel light box... then you could have it under water and have the jawfish inside without worrying about it corroding. hmmmm.. what if I made a tiny top hat made of acrylic.... oh the possibilities.

I think you're just stupid.

what do you think the fish would do if it already has a burrow? I would like to make one of these and have it more front and center of the nano, because his burrow is on the far side...so you really don't see him even when he is peeking out. It is a pearly by the way.

You could make one and hope he notices it and decides it would be a better home. I mean short of removing him from his current home and destroying it, there probably won't be much incentive for him to move. Give it a shot though he may see it and like it.

i need to do something...he left his original burrow...and I found him under a mushroom colony, and now this morning he is in the front right corner just digging in the sand....my clowns love to peek into his hole so it is likely annoying him...hence the move all the time

my lfs says when he gets em in he sells for 60 =p

Made one of these with a elbow piece of PVC and a large snail shell... Nobody is claming it yet, maybe i'll put a mantis in it!

Do you think a Goby and pistol shrimp might like one!

No.

Well that sucks!

wonder if a yasha or firefish would live in something like this....? prob not huh?

yes to firefish! i had 3 purple firefish that loved it.

A firefish will, but a goby no!!....What is this world coming 2 ?

Goby yes, goby and pistol, no.

bump for goby and pistol Q?

I already answered your question newb.

How many post, or how long before your not a Newb anymore???

Its not post count or time, its questions you ask and things you do with your tank.

lol...I see, I guess that question in it's self makes me a Newb..

hahahah

I never thought I could have a Bluespot cause my substrate is fine and it couldnt really make a burrow out of it. This is awesome man I was thinking about constructing a burrow out of small pieces of live rock and then attaching Ricordea on the outside of the burrow. I wonder if the Jawfish would except the burrow with ricordea on the outside or not?

This does work , I did this many years ago with one inch PVC for my blue spot that lived in my 12 gallon nano for many many years . Mine was not as fancy and I do like the barnical/shell idea . Keep in mind when mine was alive it was the only fish in the nano . His death came as an accident when he jumped over the false wall and got caught up in the cooling fan of the hood . Here is an older picture of him . RIP Jaws .

suicidal little sucks aren't they?

What makes them jump?

Like wrasses , they can be startled easy , when they move in the ocean to a new home or have to leave there burrow through the front or back exit they jump/swim very very quickly , so as not to be attacked or become someones dinner .

Doesn't the jawfish have a slime that accumulates on their scales that they naturally rub off by burrowing. Wouldn't a smooth sided tunnel prevent them from doing that? I suppose they could still burrow outside of the man made tunnel as well..

My jawfish still plays in the sand, he just doesn't dig holes

Hey Bonsai,
How long have you had you BSJF? And how did you pick him out to make sure he was a healthy specimen?
Oh and what preventative measures did you do for your BC to prevent kamikaze style maneuvers? Thinking about just doing some egg crate on the back wall to prevent it jumping into the back compartments, cause I've had a diamond back goby and my false perc do it since the tank started.