Jaw Fish Dissaperance

[Mick7]

In the last two weeks both of my jawfish have disappeared. One has been in my tank for a year, and the other black masked jawfish has been MIA in the last four days. All water parameters are good, they are in a 280 gal tank, and at opposite ends of the tank.

The black masked jaw had gone MIA for about 5 days before and then popped up in her hole. The older jaw never went missing until this last episode two weeks ago.

They have not jumped out and were both eating very well. Are they subject to going underground for extended periods? It seems to me that neither one of them ever wanted to miss a meal.

All others in the tank are doing fine. BIG Naso, Yellow Tang, Blue Tang. Yellow eyed Tang, Purple Tang. Clown Tang, 3Tomato Clowns, 3 Scotter Blennies, Engineer Goby/Blennie. Various shrimps, 5 Blue Chromis, Flame Angel, 6 line Wrass, Lemon Peel, Red Hawkfish, Bicolored Blennie. 4in. thick bed of sand, 150 lbs of rock, many zoo's, 5 anenimes, various soft corals, all seem to be doing fine. Any guidance will be appreciated. Thanks
Mick 7

 

[Reefeross]

Hmmm...Was the Hawk aggresive towards them? I'm wondering if the anemones got them, do the anemones move around quite a bit in your tank?

 

[cardgenius]

Jawfish dont like lots of movement. They might just be hiding

 

[Mick7]

Thanks for the responce. As to Reffeross answer, no the Hawk is not agressive at all and the annenomes pretty much stay put. The biggest aggitaters to the Jaws were the Scotter's, especially to the oldest Jawfish.

Cardgenius, I do remember the black masked jawfish disappearing for about 4 days, but the older one made his original hole right in the middle of the pack and has been fighting for his food since the beginning. I do not believe that I have any predators that are big enough to get these two, so I guess I just have to wait.

Do any of you think I might find them if I dig around their tunnels, or should I just leave it alone? Thanks.
Mick7

 

[Reefeross]

I'd leave it for now, they could just be camping out somewhere in a tunnel. You could try waving some food around on a feeding rod outside their tunnels, if they are there they would definitely be tempted.