Jawfish stocking question

[flameangel88]

That's the way to do it. Betw the Jawfish and Pistol Shrimp they literally moved most of the sand out from under the rocks. If I didn't put the foundation rocks down first everything from the top would most likely collapsed.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8005648#post8005648 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Timbor
I plan on stacking my rock first before I add the sand, that way the sand will not be supporting the rocks.

Should work to prevent avalanches I would assume.

Tim

 

[ReefEze]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8005648#post8005648 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Timbor
I plan on stacking my rock first before I add the sand, that way the sand will not be supporting the rocks.

Should work to prevent avalanches I would assume.

Tim

yeah same here. No worries in that department

 

[emerald chondro]

Another thing you could do is put a peice of styrofoam under the rock so when they dig under it they hit the styrofoam before the rock could collapse.

 

[Timbor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8006999#post8006999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by emerald chondro
Another thing you could do is put a peice of styrofoam under the rock so when they dig under it they hit the styrofoam before the rock could collapse.

I'm not sure what you mean by this... If the rock supports itself before the sand is put in, then removing the sand will not change its structural integrity.

I guess the styrofoam could play the same role as starboard... it would cushion the rocks if they did fall. It could also help the rocks to hold better too... I would imagine there is more friction between the rocks and styrofoam vs rocks and glass...

Tim

 

[emerald chondro]

I dunno..i placed styrofoam under the rock to raise it higher in the tank and i guess play the same role as rock on glass........ they should have the same effect....bvut maybe the traditional rock on glass works better

 

[schristi69]

For some reason mine likes to keep digging out the front corners of the tank. It is CONSTANTLY moving the sandbed around. They are jumpers for sure. Mine has spent almost as much time in the back sump area as he has the tank. Seems the moon lights make it want to jump more. suprised the bugger hasn't gotten brain damage from hitting the hood so many times.

 

[Timbor]

lol... maybe the brain damage is why it keeps jumping!

Good thing my tank will have an enclosed canopy... I have definetely planned for the jumping!

Tim

 

[emerald chondro]

Indeed my tank will also be planned to make sure they dont jump...... my sand is still settling but before moving it varies from 2 inches to 6 inches....im wondering how deep everones sand bed is

 

[ReefEze]

Im wondering thwat too. Im planning about 6in, with an enclosed top of course

 

[Timbor]

Im gonna start with a min of 3, but I think I may bury some short sections of pvc pipe to provide help with the burrows.

Tim

 

[Sally]

One jawfish per tank. They jump because they are stressed out. If they are comfortable in their surroundings they will build their burrow and never move from it. In the wild they do not burrow under rocks only in captivity do they have to do this. They prefer wide open spaces with deep sandbeds. If you get two jawfish for that size tank you will only run into problems.....and end up with one.

 

[Timbor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8004590#post8004590 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by piercho
Scott W. Michael says that O. aurifrons densities can be pretty high in the wild, as I recall from the book as close as 6" for burrow spacing. He says stocking densities may be even higher in a tank. I'm basing my stocking density for the aurifrons jawfish tank I'm building on this, and plan to try 8 aurifrons in a 4' X 2' (no rock) tank. It would be disappointing if the fish kill each other off. But I'm going to stay with my plan for 1 aurifrons per square foot.

Sally, according to Michael's book, this density can be achieved. If they live in such close quarters in the wild, why can they not do it in captivity?

It would be good to know a bit more about this.

Tim

 

[piercho]

Well, I’ve only got a single source, and I’ll summarize (without permission):
-Mean distance between adjacent burrows was 11 inches in a colony of 3 fish, 33 inches in a colony of 8 fish, and 45 inches in a colony of 115 fish. Colin, 1973
-Burrows range in depth from 4.3 to 8.6 inches depth. Michael, 2004.
-Yellowhead Jawfish will chase fishes that smaller than itself or similar size, from a radius of 7.8 to 9.8 inches around its burrow entrance. Michael, 2004.
All from Reef Fishes Series Book 2, Basslets, Dottybacks, & Hawkfishes; Scott W. Michael, T.F.H Publications, ISBN 1-890087-33-5.
Michael writes a relatively large section on Jawfish, and especially the Yellowhead Jawfish, in the book. Like I said, I’m basing the design for a tank currently being put together on this reference, so I hope it’s accurate. I do hope Sally will provide additional experience and input, especially about keeping multiple Yellowheads in a tank.

Also, I'll highlight that my memory failed me, the highest density the book reports is 11 inches in the wild, not 6 inches, as I said previously. Maybe I was thinking in radius, or skipped a groove, or am just getting old. Anyway, I should have at least gone and looked at the book before I "quoted" him, so I apologize to the author.

 

[Timbor]

hmm, a radius of about 8-10", eh? I guess that would imply about 18" per fish, which would mean 2 in a 35 gallon...

Did the book say anything about mated pairs sharing a burrow or anything like that? There are some at my LFS right now, and I saw two of them hiding together under the same rock, real close to each other... not the best setup for them, but they cant make everything perfect in a store.
I wonder if they were hiding together due to lack of spots, or because they were a pair?

Tim

 

[flameangel88]

I got 2 YJ back in June within a couple of days they shared the home but around start of the month the big one kicked the smaller one and within a few days the smaller one died. I couldn't figure why because it had a lot of other places to find a home but right after it kick out it lost interest in eating. I was so excited because I really thought I'd a mated pair there and now I'm afraid to get a pair again.

 

[Mike.B]

Damn my sands only 2-3" and my jawfish is doing great.

 

[piercho]

For Yellowheads, Michael does not mention the fish sharing a burrow except for the female following the male into his burrow during spawning.

 

[piercho]

The jawfish I had was similar to a Goldspecs jawfish, which is about the same size as a Yellowhead. It ate well, etc, but its burrows eventually collapsed due to the sand being too fine and homogeneous. After every burrow collapse it wandered the tank at night, near the top, looking for a way out. After a couple of months I got careless with the overflow screen and it suceeded. It was also a meek fish and didn't venture out from its burrow except to snag food. I'd like to achieve an environment where jawfish can feel secure and display more normal behavior. But if I can only keep one in the tank, I'm going to need to rethink the whole tank layout and fish community. At this point, I still think I'm going to get several fish from the same import "batch", quarantine them together, and introduce them at the same time.

 

[kass03]

Ive always read not to keep more than 1 unless its in a 150 gal or bigger.
This guy dives and collects these himself and heres what he says about a mated pair although doesnt mention tank size to put them in.
I still dunno if I'd put a mated pair in a 37 gallon.

http://sealifeflorida.com/catalog/p...d=146&osCsid=479b7333e63359b4f281991a6d92051f

kass

 

[Sally]

I am just basing my opinion on my experience of the yellow headed. I would not put two jawfish in a 37 gallon tank. I have observed the jawfish in the wild while diving and have never seen them in that close of proximity. Never. In captivity they will fight in that space. I have also seen two sharing a burrow and that is usually because they are stressed.
If you are determined to get two I ask you to please be honest and post your results to us after you have had them in the system for 3-6 months?