Jump to content
Coral Vue Hydros

Dusky Jawfish


kkyyllee

Recommended Posts

From everything I have read, caring for duskys is exactly the same as caring for a pearly jawfish. Assuming you have a decent substrate (minimum 2.5"), you can keep a jawfish in a pretty small tank, though I wouldn't go much smaller than 12 gallons.

 

Having kept a jaw in my 24 gallon for the last year, I have this observation, however: they are tricky when it comes to compatability in such a small tank. Anything that is the least bit aggressive will stress the jaw out. Conversely, anything that is too small might mysteriously disappear from the tank (jaws have very big mouths).

 

In the end, my jaw has basically done best with inverts.

Link to comment

I have no experience keeping jawfish but they are one of my favorite types of fish so I have read a lot about them. They are reputed to be major carpet surfers, so I would not risk one in a open top setup.

Link to comment

I would not stock anything with them in a tank under 30 gallon.

 

^ Actually I take that back...my royal gramma was peaceful with the jaw :) Just make sure you add the jawfish at least 3 days before putting any other fish in (so they have a burrow made and they feel comfortable)

 

Dont forget to provide a MINIMUM of 3" oolitic sand with lots of rubble (shells, coral rubble, small rocks etc) so they can make a good burrow. Remember they secrete a mucus like substance that can bond rocks and sand together to make their burrow!

 

My favorite fish by far :)

 

Finally, always leave the lights off for the first day or two so they can start construction :P

Link to comment
Conversely, anything that is too small might mysteriously disappear from the tank (jaws have very big mouths).

 

Sexy shrimp are definately a $$$ mistake...but cleaners and other larger shrimp will be fine :)

Link to comment

would it be ok if i had 2 inches of sand and gave it some crushed coral or something to build with in one spot?

 

oh and its going in a AP 12 with closed top so that wont be an issue

 

 

oh and what will i have to feed it? or how sohould i?

Link to comment

If youre set in the 2", I would make it so there is a deeper part in the middle (they like to have a 360degree view) and then 1.5" all around to build it up.

 

I would DEFINATELY use some rubble (whatever it be) as well as shells and such. They will actually take a shell and close up their home for the night.

 

Finally they are carnivores, so will eat flake, mysis, brine (ENRICHED), as well as anything else it can get its mouth over.

 

Im not familiar with the AP, but if its like my BioCube, I would get a piece of plastic to place between the tank section and the filtration as well as cover up the holes in the back where a cord goes through. Remember even 1/2" hole or slit will allow them to squeeze out.

Link to comment

The jaw may be able to adjust to 2" of sand if you arrange the rock work so the fish has natural rock "tunnels" leading down to the sand (if that makes sense). In other words, if you put some gaps in rock, the jaw will use the rock gaps as the top of its tunnel, meaning a little less sand below is needed. The more sand, the better, however.

 

In my experience (on my second jaw, this time a blue spot), jawfish are fairly hardy when it comes to water conditions, but they are quite vulnerable to stress. They really don't like it when you rearrange the rock work. They really don't appreciate other fish in a small tank, particularly something as small as a 12G. They will do quite well in small tanks, however, if you only house them with inverts. While they will eat small decorative shrimp, you should have no problem with larger cleaner shrimp, coral banded, etc. Basically, jaws are full of nervous energy...which is part of why they are so fun. But I think this nervousness translates into anxiety if you put them in a small tank with other fish. For example...I no longer refer to my "nano-reef tank." Rather, I own a "jawfish tank" that happens to contain coral and inverts. Bottom line: if you like a variety of fish, I don't recommend a jaw.

 

As noted above, they will jump. A covered tank is an absolute must.

 

Once acclimated, a jawfish will eat just about anything. I would advise target feeding bigger frozen shrimp, however, as they are somewhat messy eaters. In other words, if you dump a bunch of brine in the tank, the jaw will only grab about 2/3 of the food...with the rest ending up in your filter, substrate, etc. I usually feed mine mysis with a mini-turkey baster. The added benefit of target feeding is that your jaw will begin to associate you with food and become more visible when you approach the tank.

 

If you get a jaw, also grab some crushed coral, shells, and/or rock fragments from the LFS. Periodically make a pile of this debris in front of his hole. He will appreciate you donating such valuable building materials and will incorporate them into his impressive tunnel design. (It's pretty entertaining when they decide to use live hermit crabs and snails, as they just can't seem to figure out why the architecture keeps moving around on them.)

 

Finally, I will say that I was very excited to see this ad on ebay for tank-raised jaws:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tank-Raised-Yellowhead...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

If they can do it with pearlies they should be able to do it with blue spots and the rarer color morphs!

Link to comment

Everyone here has given some great advise, and the only thing I can add is that jawfish have no respect for neighboring corals ... so when they are excavating and keeping up their tunnels, they will spit sand on anything. When I had my jawfish (may he rest in peace in the great ocean in the sky), he liked dumping sand on zoa's and a neighboring toadstool.

Link to comment
Everyone here has given some great advise, and the only thing I can add is that jawfish have no respect for neighboring corals ... so when they are excavating and keeping up their tunnels, they will spit sand on anything. When I had my jawfish (may he rest in peace in the great ocean in the sky), he liked dumping sand on zoa's and a neighboring toadstool.

 

Definitely true. Which is why I call it my "jawfish tank" instead of my "nano-reef tank." You have to be willing to make the jawfish the focus of the tank. Otherwise you may find owning one somewhat frustrating.

Link to comment
Definitely true. Which is why I call it my "jawfish tank" instead of my "nano-reef tank." You have to be willing to make the jawfish the focus of the tank. Otherwise you may find owning one somewhat frustrating.

 

 

Hahah, yeah, I would definately cement the coral onto some LR at LEAST 2-3" above your sandbed...they have a habit of making 4" piles in some areas and digging bare bottom in others :P

 

Best of luck!

Link to comment
Hahah, yeah, I would definately cement the coral onto some LR at LEAST 2-3" above your sandbed...they have a habit of making 4" piles in some areas and digging bare bottom in others :P

 

Best of luck!

 

What I'll sometimes do is use the turkeybaster I use for feeding to blow the sand off nearby coral. My guy makes a huge mess when he digs a new hole...but once it's dug, he settles in and stops digging as much.

 

In other words...he basically runs the show. I'm just there to clean up the mess.

Link to comment
would it be ok if i had 2 inches of sand and gave it some crushed coral or something to build with in one spot?

 

oh and its going in a AP 12 with closed top so that wont be an issue

oh and what will i have to feed it? or how sohould i?

 

I own a Dusky Jawfish, it's my favorite fish I have especially considering my clown is super aggressive and always tries to bite me! :angry:

 

But anyways, I started out having it in my AP12g and it made a rather large burrow in the sand under my L/R. I had about a "2.5-"3 deep sandbed using an entire 20lbs. bag of Agra-Alive Indo-Pacific livesand. It was in that tank all the way until I took it down along with my clown fish and a Fridmani Pseudochromis. Nother fish EVER bothered my Dusky. it's actually a pretty interesting looking jawfish compared to the pearly. More similar to a BSJF in body shape appearance as well as to tiger jawfish. In any event, mine mainly feeds on pods and about once a week or so I'll feed it whole frozen Pascine Energetics brand mysis shrimp which it LOVES! it'll even dart out of it's burrow and charge hard at the tweezers I use just to get at the mysis. The rest of the time it spends either digging and rearranging it's burrow, just just chilling with it's head hanging out of the burrow opening. My tank is open topped (I now have it in a 30g glass Finnex M-tank) and it's never once even attempted to jump out thank goodness. My current sand bed is also about "2.5 deep with the same type of sand which is great for it since the Indo-Pacific sand has rock chunks in it that my Dusky uses to line the burrow entrance with.

Link to comment

i think im gona move most of my sand to the center of the tank and have some liverock "holding" it in this are and have a pile of crushed coral and rubble somewhere, this weekend i hope to get mine, ill take the damsel back that i have in the tank now

Link to comment
i think im gona move most of my sand to the center of the tank and have some liverock "holding" it in this are and have a pile of crushed coral and rubble somewhere, this weekend i hope to get mine, ill take the damsel back that i have in the tank now

 

Honestly I'd keep the sand evened out along the bottom. There's no guarantee where exactly the dusky will plan to make it's burrow. Also they regularly MOVE their burrow around until they establish a comfortable position and place for it in the tank, and even then they might move it a month or year later.

Link to comment

that fish is awsome owenz!

 

 

well, i didnt get one this weekend, they didnt have any at the lfs, but the owner said there getting some next weekend,

 

i think i might have changed my mind on getting a jaw fish, since i wouldnt be able to keep anything else in the tnak really

Link to comment
i think i might have changed my mind on getting a jaw fish, since i wouldnt be able to keep anything else in the tnak really

 

Honestly, I wouldn't think twice about getting one again. Like people have said, theres some fish taht will get along with it and you can try (talk to your LFS about returning fish). As boring as they are a firefish would probably be fine. STAY AWAY FROM A PAIR OF CLOWNS! <trust me.... I would get the jaw and let it settle, then consider other swimming species (not a goby).

 

Let us know what you do! And take some pics :)

Link to comment

okay my LFS has a dusky jawfish its about 1.5-2 inches long, its priced at $20, does this sound like a good price?

 

ill be getting it this weekend if all goes well

Link to comment
okay my LFS has a dusky jawfish its about 1.5-2 inches long, its priced at $20, does this sound like a good price?

 

ill be getting it this weekend if all goes well

 

Definitely a good price! Have them put it on hold for you if they have it.

 

I added mine as my first fish strictly because fish won't usually mess with other fish that have been in there before them. And of course you can keep other things in the tank with it. I kept a full variety of corals in my tank (lots of zoas, rics and mushrooms) and also had a clownfish and Fridmani in the tank as well, and it was a 12g Aquapod. Yes a lot of stuff for a small space, but it's all in a 30g Finnex now, and minus the Fridmani since it has since died. :( My clown ALWAYS tries to bite me now when I put my hand in the tank, but it NEVER messes with my Dusky. Mainly because the clown's host torch is up high as well as on the opposite side of the tank.

Link to comment

yeah i had a clown that would do that, really anoying, they said they could hold it for me

 

im actually thinnking of upgrading to a 20 high in the futur :)

 

do you think if i do this that i might be able to get another?

Link to comment

It's possible, but I've heard they shouldn't be in a position where they would be in close quarters together. They are solitary fish.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...