Jawfish combatability questions

[wwildcats04]

I already have a pearly jawfish and absolutely love them. I know that they live in huge colonies as do the bluespot jawfish in the wild. However I have heard that you can not really put two blue spot jawfish together unless its a really large tank. I have done some reading everywhere and never have I really found anything that touches up on the subject of mixing the two species.. It would be done in a 40 breeder if it happens. what is everyones thoughts on this?

 

[The steven liu]

40 breeder might be too tight for two jawfishes that have the potential to get up to 6-8"!

 

[abugs1985]

I'd most definitely suggest getting a larger tank, at least double the size of what you are planning to use if possible. I personally have no experience with jawfish but the owner of LFS in my town keeps jawfish regularly and I've learned quite a bit about them from him. This article from reefkeeping online mag. has plenty of good info on jawfish and everything related to them... http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-03/hcs3/index.php

 

[wwildcats04]

both species only get up to 4" as is quoted from that website and by Scott Michael in Basslets, Dottybacks and Hawkfishes book


I dont understand why such a big tank is needed when the jawfish are confined to their hole 99% of the time w/ the exception of feeding time. A 40 breeder has a 36X18 foot print I think that would be plenty large. From what I understand it isnt large enough to keep two BLUESPOTS but it is large enough to keep a few pearlys.

The question here is would the two species get along or no

 

[Jens Kallmeyer]

HI
Regarding the space, I think that a 40 breeder can hold quite a few jawfishes. I have 4 in a 110, but they only occupy about 1/4 or less of the tank. I one year I haven't seen them more than a few inches away from their burrow.
I don't know about the mixing of the species though. The bluespot prefers colder water, I would not put one of them in a tropical tank.

Jens

 

[wwildcats04]

what species do you have? Also, Im not seeing the colder water reference anywhere... In the book I refered to above it quotes 70 to 82 degrees as the temperature for a bluespot

 

[Jens Kallmeyer]

I have the yellow heads. The blue spots live off the Pacific coast of California and Mexiko, waters are significantly colder than in the Carribean. They may tolerate higher temp for some time, but most probably not permanently

Jens