Blue Spotted Jawfish help

[xxvietxjustinxx]

So I bought a Blue Spotted Jawfish three days ago. For the first two days, he was doing fine, digging holes, eating, etc. At some point during the night, I came out to check the tank and I sort of heard him freak out and start jumping but he was obviously hitting my tank cover as there is no way he could have gotten out. Now he has gone missing but I constantly hear this *clicking* noise that I've never heard before. I can assure you that there is no mantis in my tank so I'm convinced it is him. I've checked the sump, overflow, etc, and he's no where to be found. Thoughts?

 

[Fatmike92]

Ive kept these guys before and at night they usually swim torwards the top of the tank looking for somewhere to escape to. They are very sensetive fish and dont do well with any kind of amm nitrite or nitrate. also they are a cold water fish they like to be in about 68 degree temps. you can keep them in 77 degree water but they usually only last about 6 months to a year. He could of just passed away and now all of your little critters are trying to get to him to eat him and you could have a pistol shrimp trying to fight off the competition or something like that

just my thoughts!

 

[BrianD]

I will echo much of what Mike said. They have an extremely poor track record in captivity. As Mike mentioned, they may do better in colder water. However, that was discussed a length a few years ago as a possible "key" to keeping them (one in a long line of "keys"), and the reported success rate hasn't improved, to my knowledge.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

I keep my temperature at 78 so it's pretty cool. I know they don't do well in captivity because of the cold water thing but I feel as if he is alive because I have never heard that clicking sound before. I don't have any pistol shrimp and I just picked up snails today after the clicking for the past few days. I'm curious if the clicking is him or not because I know it can't be a Mantis.

 

[BrianD]

I hope you are right. They are such a wonderful fish. I wish they did better in captivity.

 

[Fatmike92]

some times you can get pistols or matis when they are tiny tiny and they live in the rocks and over time they grow larger enough to where you can hear them pop like they do. your dead bluespot might just be the key to him learning how to pop!

 

[Fatmike92]

if he is dead that is

 

[snorvich]

I will echo much of what Mike said. They have an extremely poor track record in captivity. As Mike mentioned, they may do better in colder water. However, that was discussed a length a few years ago as a possible "key" to keeping them (one in a long line of "keys"), and the reported success rate hasn't improved, to my knowledge.

That is correct. I always advise water temperature no higher than 75 F (remember they come from the Sea of Cortez). I seem to recall collection issues associated with this fish, but I cannot find the article on that.

 

[MedRed]

I had my BSJ for a year and a half in 78-81 degree water. He was perfectly fine and healthy. The one and only night I forgot to put the lid on the tank I found him on the floor the next morning :-(.

The main things for them is to make sure they eat and don't stress them out. plenty of pics in my build thread to show him fat and healthy over that time period.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

some times you can get pistols or matis when they are tiny tiny and they live in the rocks and over time they grow larger enough to where you can hear them pop like they do. your dead bluespot might just be the key to him learning how to pop!

I've had my current live rock for over 10 years. If there was a mantis or a pistol, I think I would have heard it already. But yeah, thanks for the suggestion. Hopefully it's just the BSJ freaking out some more. If I don't see him in a couple days, I'll proclaim that he's a goner and possibly buy another one.