Jawfish making a mess!

[brassmonkyballs]

Have a 120G reef tank and added a BSJF about a week ago. I had placed several large barnacles in a couple spots hoping to coax him in there. Upon entering the tank he went close to one of the barnacles but chose to immediately start burrowing under my Trachy open brain. After a short time I had enough and pulled up the brain and he took off. and hid behind some rock.

The next morning he had taken up residence in the opposite side of the tank in the back corner and was in excavation mode. I figured ok, not much I can do and added a pile of rubble nearby. He used it up and I gave him more and on it went.

The next morning he moved again to the front of the tank next to another barnacle and started excavating and I repeated the rubble giving while he clouded up my tank again.

2 days later he moved into the barnacles where I originally wanted him and I thought great, prefect, etc. In goes some more rubble and builds quite the fortress. Been here about 3 days now, eats great....anything. He has 3 barnacles one of which he uses to look around, he made a fox hole behind that shored up with small rock and shells, then off to the left of that he created another door all shored up, today I noticed a big one to the right and I know he has access in the back as well.

Here's my problem...he keeps digging, My tank is rarely clear for a whole day. I'm using oolite and he it spits large mouthfuls into the water column and it almost seems like he's taunting me...no kidding He looks right at me! But my tank is a mess and some of my corals are not too happy about it....constantly using a small feeder/baster to clean them.

Question is if this is normal? Does it ever stop? I keep adding rubble, he eats well, etc.

The other questions is if they ever cause avalanches by digging so much under the rock?

I love him but he's ****ing me off

 

[small alien]

It should subside some but he is a jawfish after all. Most people would be happy it's eating. I would let go of the idea that you have a specific spot you want it to live in. Thats just setting yourself up for stress. Good luck!

 

[brassmonkyballs]

It should subside some but he is a jawfish after all. Most people would be happy it's eating. I would let go of the idea that you have a specific spot you want it to live in. Thats just setting yourself up for stress. Good luck!

Yeah he eats great. No stress on location only the mess! Plus since he ended up in one of the barnacles I couldn't be happier with his location.

What about avalanche issues with all the digging?

 

[small alien]

Is your rock on the glass or on the sand?

 

[brassmonkyballs]

Is your rock on the glass or on the sand?

sand unfortunately

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Try to push that rock down in the sand to prevent topples. I was lucky and my jawfish picked a place up front and center and has stayed there every since. Now if only he would stop stealing my hermit crabs' empty shells we'd be golden! I assume your jawfish will stop digging when it finds a place it really likes.

 

[bglegs]

Mine stopped digging after the first week.But he has a big pile of sand in right front corner and my rocks sit on sand.I was worried about the rocks collapsing.

 

[brassmonkyballs]

Try to push that rock down in the sand to prevent topples. I was lucky and my jawfish picked a place up front and center and has stayed there every since. Now if only he would stop stealing my hermit crabs' empty shells we'd be golden! I assume your jawfish will stop digging when it finds a place it really likes.

yeah i keep testing the rock stability....so far so good.

 

[brassmonkyballs]

for the 1st day since I've had him the tank has been clear all day! He was looking for more rubble to shore up his favorite peep hole I noticed so I dumped in some more rocks and shells and he's a happy camper for the moment. He is the coolest fish and my son calls him Jarvis....

 

[coralreefhq]

All the jawfishes do that though, because they're building a home and creating their territory.

Do you have an gobies? They'll end up fighting if you do and I've seen some crazy fights...