Bluespot Jawfish Feedback

[COreefer]

I picked up a BS jawfish a few weeks ago and he was doing really well. Gradually he slowed his feeding and now hasn't eaten for 3 or 4 days. I have read about the trials and failures of keeping this fish. I also know some people have had success. I'm hoping all current and previous jawfish owners will chime in and at least answer the poll questions. Thanks

 

[steelersfan]

In my experience, if a BSJF stops eating, it is a bad sign. Have you noticed any white patches on his body? I had a BSJF for around two years, before he found a small hole and jumped.

 

[COreefer]

No white patches...heavy breathing...no eating.

 

[steelersfan]

A few years ago, many people were having difficulties keeping BSJF alive. Most of the fish would start off eating really well, but as time passed, the fish became disinterested in food. There was a lot of speculation that those fish were collected by using cyanide, which ultimately results in premature deaths. At first, the fish would not eat, and eventually, there would be white patches on their body. Finally, the fish would pass on. Based on my experience, once the BSJF stope eating, there is very little hope for survival. I hope that I am wrong, but that is what I have seen and read.

 

[WestTexasReefer]

I have had one for about 2 1/2 years now. A great fish with tons of personality. In order to keep one you will need a covered top and covered overflow because they WILL jump out of the smallest opening. They also need a sand bed of at least 3-4 inches with some rock rubble or shells so they can construct a burrow. I usually shoot some mysis or whatever I am feeding to him with a turkey baster to make sure he gets plenty and doesn't have to compete with the other fish. He now comes out and bites at the turkey baster at feeding time.

 

[adambirk]

i just bought one thursday night from my ex lfs. he called me and told me he got a great deal on them and could give me a good deal. having wanted one of these for a long time i said sure but wanted to know how they looked. he said great so i met him later that night half way between his house and mine.
.
well when i got it home in the light i could see that it was really skinny and that concerned me alot. anyway i aclimated him and put him in. the next day to my surprise when i fed my tank he was out eating like crazy and i was very pleased. two days later it stoped eating and was breathing very heavy and would not come out of his home.

i watched him for about half an hour and then he swam out of his hole completely and started having spasms so hard that it broke its own neck. now imagine how ****ed i was.

 

[COreefer]

UPDATE...my fish I had left for dead is coming back around. It has been a week since it last ate, was breathing heavy and its body was sheding the slime coat a week ago. I put it into a QT situation (non medicated) and there was no change for a couple of days so I decided to try something different. 2 days ago I gave him a FW dip. When I place him back into the tank it was in shock and I felt like this is it for the fish. A couple of hours after the shock wore off the fish looked a little bit better. It's breathing was better and he wasn't hiding as much. Yesterday the fish was breathing at a normal rate of respiration for this fish and TODAY it came out of its hole and ate 2 or 3 pieces of mysis shrimp! I feel like the fish is coming back around and I feel like the FW dip was the catalyst. Thoughts?

 

[steelersfan]

After you gave the fish a FW dip, did you see any sesame size objects fall off the fish?

 

[COreefer]

No...there wasn't anything left over after the FW dip.

 

[steelersfan]

My thoughts were that it could be flukes. Hopefully, the fish will continue to improve.

 

[seaman27]

ive had my bs jawfish for 7 years this month!

 

[basser1]

That's good news that your BSJF is getting better and I hope it continues to do so!

I had a BSJF for over a year and a half and like westtexasreefer says, they do have a ton of personality and was easily one of my favorite fish. As stated they do have certain requirements, i.e. covered top, deep sand bed and lots of live rock rubble. Unfortunately, I lost mine due to my negligence. I was doing some work in my tank and had turned off the pumps and forgot to turn them back on and went to bed. The next morning, I found him lying on the bottom. Needless to say, I was bummed. But I knew I wanted another, so back in August I got another one from my LFS. So far, he's doing great!

I think one of the keys to success with these fish is to get a healthy one from the start. Both of mine came from my LFS and I was able to see them eat. Plus I was able to see if they showed any signs of illness or distress.

 

[seaman27]

sry lol i meant to type the 4 ive had this fish for 4+ yrs this month lol
great fish!! ill post pics if i can get my camera to work

 

[COreefer]

ive had my bs jawfish for 7 years this month!

Can you give some specifics about the tank size (how its covered), its mates, water temp, etc?

ANOTHER UPDATE...Fish is eating with some gusto, but its tail looks to be disengrating. It is completely gone. I plan on purchasing a medicated dip today. I'm thinking something with an antibiotic in it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[seaman27]

I jus have him in a simple 29 gallon tall aquarium with an eclipse filtration system and a heater. Hes got alot of rocks and sand tho.

 

[rort]

I would say i had a success with mine for abotu 6 months and then he jumped during a tank switch! But he was a very hardy fish and would eat about anything. He was my frag killer as if anything fell close to one of his caves, it became furniture in his cave! lol

 

[COreefer]

The fish is still alive, eating, but it is breathing heavy again. i dipped the fish in furan2 yesterday due to the tail rot that is progressively getting worse. the fish is more active and eating but between the heavy breathing and the tail rot I don't give it very good odds.