Jawfish Behavior

[aaron1987]

I picked up a 2-2.5" pearly jawfish 3 days ago from a LFS - it was added to a 29gal biocube that's been up and running for 6 months now. Its tankmates are 2 oscellaris clowns that are about 1.5" and a firefish. The substrate is about 4-5" deep and of mixed grade. Since deciding to burrow under my rockwork the first night it has covered the entire entrance save for a thin slit at the top and doesn't come out at all. I know it's still alive as it will occasionally spit more substrate out the entrance but beyond that there's no trace. Is this typical behavior for a new jawfish addition, or is the constantly covered burrow a sign that it isn't tolerating the stress well?

 

[Harlikwin2000]

Burrowing right away is a better sign than the fish being out, I would just give it time to get used to it's co-inhabitants and as long as it is not being harrassed it should be spending more time in it's "doorway". Let me just say though, I think with a biocube you won't have problems, but I have owned 3 tigers and one blue spot and i sold one of the tigers, the other three fish all died from carpet surfing. The blue spot even after I spent a half hour jump proofing the tank he was in...Do not underestimate their jumping ability!!!

 

[aaron1987]

I figured the burrow was at least somewhat encouraging. Hopefully the tank should be carpet surfing proof - it's a pretty tight fighting lid and the back chambers are blocked off with gutter guard. Obviously with refusing to come out of the burrow it's not showing any interest in food and from what I understand they can fast for a decent amount of time after being added to the tank. It didn't look terribly skinny when I picked it up. At what time length should I start to worry about it not eating and soaking food in garlic to try to enduce it to eat?