jawfish not coming out of it burrow, normal?
- Thread starter fullmonti
- Start date
Sigmund
New member
What type of Jawfish / and what has changed in your tank since the behavior change?
Have you changed the aquascaping?
Have they moved to new Burrows?
Have you added anything new to the tank? (Fish, inverts, starfish, etc.)?
Have you changed the direction of the water flow in the tank, moved powerheads etc?
Have you changed the lighting?
Have you changed the aquascaping?
Have they moved to new Burrows?
Have you added anything new to the tank? (Fish, inverts, starfish, etc.)?
Have you changed the direction of the water flow in the tank, moved powerheads etc?
Have you changed the lighting?
FlammySnake
New member
One thing jawfish hate, larger faster fish. Tangs, rabbits, triggers, etc.
fullmonti
now is the time
They are yellow heads. They are in a 36" long 30+gal tank that was a NPS tank, they are the only fish in there. This tank is tied to my SPS system, 180gal with 65gal sump. The extra feeding for NPS caused hair algae growing in my SPS tank, so I found a home for the filter feeders & stopped the extra feeding.
The only thing that has changed is I'm treating the system with algaefix to kill the hair algae. I sure hope that isn't killing them too. I've never heard of algaefix harming vertebrates.
I had thought about putting them in the SPS tank, but there is two large tangs & a Niger trigger in there. Didn't think they would like those three zooming around.
What do you think?
The only thing that has changed is I'm treating the system with algaefix to kill the hair algae. I sure hope that isn't killing them too. I've never heard of algaefix harming vertebrates.
I had thought about putting them in the SPS tank, but there is two large tangs & a Niger trigger in there. Didn't think they would like those three zooming around.
What do you think?
reppo13
New member
How long have they been in there? If relatively new to the tank they will often explore looking for the best place to make a burrow and can dig under rock piles to make interconnecting tunnels. Yellowheads are relatively hardy but some just don't make it. Sand bed can be a big factor too. What type and depth? For them to be comfortable it should be at least 4" with different grains. As for the SPS tank they would be fine as jawfish can hold their own in the toughest of tanks when settled.
Also multiple jawfish almost never work out unless they're a pair and the chem won't kill them.
Also multiple jawfish almost never work out unless they're a pair and the chem won't kill them.
fullmonti
now is the time
They have been in there for a few months. They dug their burrows the first day & have never moved. Their burrows are under a holey rock I picked just for them. Sand is mix of coarse sand & coral pcs & shells. I set this up with them in mind. Originally there was three, but these two started picking on him till I could get him & put him in big tank but it was to late he just gave up.
highhopes592003
New member
If you dont mind im going to have a friend look thru this. She loves jaw fish and not sure but thinking shes said something along the same subject. Wish i could help but i really dont know about jaw fish. Hope all goes well for ya
highhopes592003
New member
Sorry she really doesnt know either. Her problem was a tank mate her jaw fish didnt like. I didnt mean to intrude i just thought maybe I could help is all.
reppo13
New member
He could be looking for a new burrow but this is abnormal that hes not coming out. The two could also be pairing but I'm not so familiar with that. I had a freak breeding incident with two of my blue spots but after that male stopped holding the fry he died from starvation (at least thats what I think) I didn't really notice any behavior like that from mine, and haven't bothered to find another mate for mine.
alton
Well-known member
I came home a couple weeks ago and found one of mine in his hole dead and the other with her hole covered up. Since then, the one comes out and looks at food but eats very little and I am afraid it will soon perrish. These two where purchased as a pair, the only two fish in the tank set up for jawfish with 5" select sand bed. Rock is placed on glass, glass top, corals are candy cane and some sps. They where introduced into the tank 5 months ago?
Sigmund
New member
Well it obviously isn't about the environment changing, and or fish bothering them. Assuming your water paramaters are good (No ammonia / nitrite problem, or temp problem) then it must be a problem with the jawfish itself.
I have had just about every type of jawfish over the last 10 years, and my experience is that when a jawfish begins to get sick, it tends to wander and leave it's burrow to die. In the wild this would make them susceptible to predators, not sure if this is natures circle of life or something like that.
I have never had any of my jawfish once sick die in it's burrow. Just my experiences with various species. As I am sure you know when a fish stops eating and or refuses to eat it is generally a very bad sign.
On maybe a slight positive I have had problems in the past where one of my angels was sick and stopped eating and my other two angels seemingly heathy started to not eat as well. When I removed the visibally sick angel to a hospital tank the other two began to eat and act normal immediately. Perhaps only one of them is sick, and the other is acting different because of it. I realize I am making a general correlation, but I have seen it before with other fishes as well that act sympathetically.
I have had just about every type of jawfish over the last 10 years, and my experience is that when a jawfish begins to get sick, it tends to wander and leave it's burrow to die. In the wild this would make them susceptible to predators, not sure if this is natures circle of life or something like that.
I have never had any of my jawfish once sick die in it's burrow. Just my experiences with various species. As I am sure you know when a fish stops eating and or refuses to eat it is generally a very bad sign.
On maybe a slight positive I have had problems in the past where one of my angels was sick and stopped eating and my other two angels seemingly heathy started to not eat as well. When I removed the visibally sick angel to a hospital tank the other two began to eat and act normal immediately. Perhaps only one of them is sick, and the other is acting different because of it. I realize I am making a general correlation, but I have seen it before with other fishes as well that act sympathetically.
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
Sorry to hear of your troubles. I don't know anything about algaefix, so this may be an ignorant suggestion, but I'd be wondering if doing some major water changes over several days, might not be worth a try.
My other thought is maybe he his damaged himself trying to jump. Could he have hit his head and now have a concussion (or whatever a fishy version of that would be.) If that one was dominant , maybe the other fish is afraid to come out, and/or along the lines of what Sigmund suggested.
Just some thoughts that came to mind - good luck. I love jawfish, but they are awfully sensitive ime.
My other thought is maybe he his damaged himself trying to jump. Could he have hit his head and now have a concussion (or whatever a fishy version of that would be.) If that one was dominant , maybe the other fish is afraid to come out, and/or along the lines of what Sigmund suggested.
Just some thoughts that came to mind - good luck. I love jawfish, but they are awfully sensitive ime.
Sigmund
New member
Possible.
Didn't consider that. I have never had an active breeding pair of Jawfish before, so I can't speak to their behavior/ temperament. Also not sure about how much they eat during this brooding time.
That would be the best scenario though, better they are breeding than dying. best of luck.
Didn't consider that. I have never had an active breeding pair of Jawfish before, so I can't speak to their behavior/ temperament. Also not sure about how much they eat during this brooding time.
That would be the best scenario though, better they are breeding than dying. best of luck.
fullmonti
now is the time
Last week I was doing some maintenance in their tank & uncovered their burrows (they where only couple inches apart). As soon as they saw each other they started warning off each other. Made me wonder if they where intimidating each other, & that was why they weren't coming out. Long story short I figured there was nothing to lose, so I put one in the 180 tank & left one in the 30gal tank.
The one in the 30gal tank is coming out & eating just fine. The one in the 180gal tank is still a little intimidated by the bigger fish in there. He comes out & looks around, but when I feed the bigger fish zoom around & I'm not sure if he gets any thing or not.
But I'm pretty sure the trouble all along was they were intimidating each other the whole time! Why they didn't move away from each other, or why they got along for so long before, I HAVE NO IDEA.
Any way, the one in the 30 is in good shape & the other one has a chance any way. Hopefully this info may help some one in the future.
The one in the 30gal tank is coming out & eating just fine. The one in the 180gal tank is still a little intimidated by the bigger fish in there. He comes out & looks around, but when I feed the bigger fish zoom around & I'm not sure if he gets any thing or not.
But I'm pretty sure the trouble all along was they were intimidating each other the whole time! Why they didn't move away from each other, or why they got along for so long before, I HAVE NO IDEA.
Any way, the one in the 30 is in good shape & the other one has a chance any way. Hopefully this info may help some one in the future.
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
Glad to hear they're ok. Can you distract the other fish by feeding them at one end of the tank while you target feed the jaw with a turkey baster - at least while he gets used to the active tank?
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