BSJ coloration question

[the Undone guy]

My girlfriend just got me a BSJ from a LFS as an early christmas present. He's been in my tank 2 days now and is eating frozen mysis regularly. He's also burrowing in different parts of the tank, so it appears as though he's a healthy specimen. My question was about the coloration of his head. His spots seem to be very florescent under the actinics, but his head is sort of brownish/yellow rather than a brilliant yellow I've seen on many other BSJ. Is this stress induced (shipping/LFS/etc)? Or just naturally this color for this particular fish?

Appreciate the help!

forgive the odd exposure, it's hard to get a good shot of the color under LEDs.

his dorsal fins look a little beat up, leading me to believe someone was picking on him at the LFS.

Video of him digging his first burrow trying to bury my queen conch - again exposure is off =/
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sNTgE74YodA?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And before anyone asks, yes I have a screen top =)

 

[vertwake]

I believe the darker/burnt orange coloring is on the males and the lighter orange is on the females.

Also in my experience nothing picks on them. When their fins start looking tattered it's usually just a matter of time until they die. Look up Blue Spot Jawfish Disease. I've had them live up to a month after first showing signs but have never had one pull through.

I know there is one thread on here where someone successfully treated this. I think he used Kanaplex and clear blue.

 

[ReeferBill]

Bueatifull fish! Good Luck!

 

[the Undone guy]

I believe the darker/burnt orange coloring is on the males and the lighter orange is on the females.

interesting!

Also in my experience nothing picks on them. When their fins start looking tattered it's usually just a matter of time until they die. Look up Blue Spot Jawfish Disease. I've had them live up to a month after first showing signs but have never had one pull through.

he was in a tank at the LFS with little to no substrate, so he didn't have much to hide behind. I can't remember what was in there with him but they could of easily been picking on him. If he's eating that's a good sign right? Those other cases with tattered fins were they eating?

 

[vertwake]

interesting!


he was in a tank at the LFS with little to no substrate, so he didn't have much to hide behind. I can't remember what was in there with him but they could of easily been picking on him. If he's eating that's a good sign right? Those other cases with tattered fins were they eating?

Actually all of mine ate right up to the end. Ate very well actually. Then all of a sudden ended up laying on the bottom and gasping till it died.

 

[the Undone guy]

Actually all of mine ate right up to the end. Ate very well actually. Then all of a sudden ended up laying on the bottom and gasping till it died.

^not comforting =/ do you have an pictures of him before he kicked the bucket? I'd like to compare fins.

 

[vertwake]

^not comforting =/ do you have an pictures of him before he kicked the bucket? I'd like to compare fins.

Sorry, I don't. Mine had good fins when I obtained them though. Deteriorated from there. So maybe you'll have more luck than I did if yours was like that when you got it.

 

[JaneG]

Mine was very brown when I just got him. I think it's stress-induced as opposed to indicative of sex. That being said, I've seen some that are still more yellow than mine is. :spin2:

 

[the Undone guy]

Mine was very brown when I just got him. I think it's stress-induced as opposed to indicative of sex. That being said, I've seen some that are still more yellow than mine is. :spin2:

did yours yellow up as he settled in?

 

[JaneG]

did yours yellow up as he settled in?

Quite noticeably so. I've only had him for a month, but he's settled in pretty well as he's the only fish I have in the tank for now.

 

[vertwake]

Mine was very brown when I just got him. I think it's stress-induced as opposed to indicative of sex. That being said, I've seen some that are still more yellow than mine is. :spin2:

Hm...maybe you're right. That was the assumption I made based on the last 2 pairs of BSJ on Diver's Den. Both had a lighter and a darker fish with them. We purchased one of those pairs and the male is definitely the darker of the two.