Blue Spot Jawfish

[Thereefdrunk]

First time Blue Spot owner here. He has been in the tank for about 2 weeks and has a good mix of crushed coral and sand to burrow. He burrowed almost immediately after placing him in the tank, and stays in his burrow all day long and is eating well. The problem is at night he comes out of his burrow and sleeps in the corner of the tank out in the open. When my lights come on in the morning he just stays out in the open. Then my 2 clownfish start picking at his tail and top fin. It wasn't bad the first day or two because the BSJ would move to his burrow. But the last 2 days he just sits in the open and gets picked on. I finally had to scare him to his burrow with a net yesterday. Today he went to the other side of the tank away from his home and looks ok where he is but it's nowhere near where he's been for 2 weeks. Any ideas on why he leaves his burrow like that at night and won't return to it??

 

[snorvich]

The fish may not be healthy based on the behavior you are describing. They do best at lower temperatures as they are collected in the Sea of Cortez.

 

[alton]

Mine hangs out during the day, but always treats back at dusk. Hopefully he makes it, they are awesome fish.

 

[Thereefdrunk]

He is burrowing on the other side of the tank now and no one is bothering him. It just seams to be the first hour after the lights come on he is lost for some reason.

 

[mattgumaer]

How deep is your sand bed? Sounds like he might be ill or not comfortable in his borrow. I have had two. One I lost in a jumping incident (still not sure how he got out as I have a screened top). The second never seemed terribly healthy and had almost a whitish filmy look to him most of the time I had him.

Matt

 

[Thereefdrunk]

Matt, it's about 3 inches until he gets a hold of it. I do think I am going to get some more sand to make it about 4 inches for him

 

[eatbreakfast]

Do you have any serpent or brittle stars? They will at times transplant a jawfish to try and take their burrow, also large bristleworms can drive a jawfish out of its burrow.

 

[inigomontoya]

Mine hangs out during the day, but always treats back at dusk. Hopefully he makes it, they are awesome fish.

cool pic!