Jawfish Tank

[NDJ]

Hi, looking for some advice on setting up a Jawfish friendly tank. Looking to keep a pair of blue dot or yellowhead, tank is a 26" cube. I was thinking along the lines of a 5-6" sand bed of West Caribbean Reef, is it advisable to try and stop this functioning as a DSB if so what CUC is advisable.

Lots of opinions and advice required.

Thanks.

 

[phil519]

No real long term experience here - just over 12 months with pearly jaws in about 2" of sand. More would be ideal but they adapt to a more diagonal burrow in my tank. Blue spots are a bigger species and will require more depth (what you propose sounds right).

You could also attempt a PVC burrow - basically a circular pvc home with a T that you cover with a barnacle cover. I've seen this done for nano tanks with BS jawfish. I tried this with my yellow-heads but I think the "home" is too big for their liking.

In terms of CUC - I utilize strombus conches, cerith and nassarius and sea cukes to stir/aerate the sandbed.

I would advise the occasional vacuuming of a sandbed. In larger sized tanks a DSB might be self-sustainable with the right mixture of fauna (worms etc) but smaller sized tanks will require intervention (e.g. vacuuming or period renewal of CUC/etc).

just my 2 cents. Good luck - jawfish have fantastic personalities. Mine stay about 4 inches apart and once in a while share the same burrow.

 

[NDJ]

No real long term experience here - just over 12 months with pearly jaws in about 2" of sand. More would be ideal but they adapt to a more diagonal burrow in my tank. Blue spots are a bigger species and will require more depth (what you propose sounds right).

You could also attempt a PVC burrow - basically a circular pvc home with a T that you cover with a barnacle cover. I've seen this done for nano tanks with BS jawfish. I tried this with my yellow-heads but I think the "home" is too big for their liking.

In terms of CUC - I utilize strombus conches, cerith and nassarius and sea cukes to stir/aerate the sandbed.

I would advise the occasional vacuuming of a sandbed. In larger sized tanks a DSB might be self-sustainable with the right mixture of fauna (worms etc) but smaller sized tanks will require intervention (e.g. vacuuming or period renewal of CUC/etc).

just my 2 cents. Good luck - jawfish have fantastic personalities. Mine stay about 4 inches apart and once in a while share the same burrow.

Thank you for the info Phil, it's much appreciated.

 

[NDJ]

I have been thinking of ways to support the Living Rock above (on top of the sand bed) was thinking about plus signs (+) made out of acrylic siliconed to the bottom of the tank or just strips of acrylic.

Do you think this will interfere too much with burrowing activities?

I have also ordered an acrylic frame between which I can sandwich some mesh.

What do you guys recommend as mesh, one to keep the jawfish in the tank and two not to interfere with lighting to much?

 

[aaron1987]

What do you guys recommend as mesh, one to keep the jawfish in the tank and two not to interfere with lighting to much?

I use glass over mine but mesh would work as well as it's fine. Jawfish are excellent at jumping, so some sort of covering is 100% necessary. You'd also be surprised at the size of hole they can fit through.

 

[BADGUS]

I've had my BSJF try and jump out of a RSM34,but since it's covered he never could.I had a ~4inch sandbed in the tank,but i epoxied the rockwork on top of eggcrate before adding the sand,that way it would be stable and not shift.It was a smart move on my behalf,cause this fish has like 6diff burrows/holes.

 

[xgames]

Please make sure its well covered.