new Jawfish hiding

[allen63]

I purchased a yellowhead jawfish and acclimated him yesterday. He looked great. As soon as he was put in the tank, he bolted behind the live rock as hasn't been seen since. i know they can be shy, but i am getting worried. What is the best food to tempt him out with? i tried frozen brine with no luck. How long might he hide? is there a point where i go looking for him or try to rearrange things so he comes out to see if he is o.k.? Thanks for the help, Allen

[snbrd4evr]

I had a jawfish forever until I let my friend watch my tank and she never did a water change so he hit the porcelin express He hided for a very long time. I eventually took a turkey baster and sucked up some frozen brine shrimp and squirted into where I thought he was hiding. He eventually came out. I think he was hiding for 3 days or so and would only come out a little bit for the next 2-3 weeks. After a while he was always dancing with only his tip of his tail in his little hole. I would buy one again, but he would remind me of the other one's tragic demise. But just temp him with more food and see how it goes. If worse comes to worse, just move some rocks around to see where he is. Good luck!!!

[thedude15810]

Yeah I also had a similar experience with a jawfish. Great little fish, but it takes them awhile to dig their little burrow. Also just FYI, the jump like no one's business so if you don't have the tank covered.... he might have gone carpet surfing.

[allen63]

Thanks for the replies. The jawfish still won't come out, it has been 5 days. On sunday, I went looking for him and found him under the live rock, he looked really good and he had a very deep burrow under it. I carefully lowered the rock back down, he came out for a few minutes and redug the entrance. Then he went back under and I haven't seen him since. I am going to try the turkey baster trick. Does anyone know their favorite food? I have tried mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and the prime reef stuff so far. I do have the tank fully covered.

I'm just hoping he will come out soon, he's made it this long, if he would just start to eat everything should be fine. Thanks again, Allen

[allen63]

Just to update anyone who is interested, the turkey baster trick worked and the little guy is now eating and looking around. The surprising part for me is that he is not afraid of the baster at all. My wife got him to start eating by putting it right in front of his face and he eats right out of it. She also added some garlic to his food, that may have helped. I am really glad this turned out so well, he/she is a beautiful fish. My 5 year old daughter gets really excited when she she's him. Thanks again, Allen

[Withers]

for future reference, when you add new fish to the tank, he may very well hide like this again. i know that whenever i add a new fish to my tank both my yellow watchman goby and my firefish both will hide for upwards to a week. its not that they aren't coming out, its just that they get startled easily and they're back in their burrows by the time you're looking in your tank. also, if he seems like he isn't eating, he may also be getting food from the sand. they costantly dig through the sand looking for food.

 

Jason

[mantisshrimp]

my jawfish never hid he was perfect healtrh and eating strong. what i fed it was fish eggs and it ravenously consumes them!

[allen63]

I would like to try to feed him some of the fish eggs. What kind do you feed your jawfish? Where do you get them? Mine is eating frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and even eats flake food from the baster. He attacks the baster when it gets down close to him.