New Gigantic jawfish

maroon2

New member
Got an awesome addition to the tank, a banded jawfish. Thing is huge for a jawfish, almost 7 inches long. His head is the size of my VW key fob. Did some research before I bought him but there isn't much on care for this fish except for typical jawfish info. I got a deep enough sand bed, brought home plenty of rubble and I have a lid for my tank. He seems very mellow. He found a spot that he liked and is just hanging out threatening me w/ his mouth like jawfish do. Nobody really to mess w/ him being that he is by far the biggest fish in the tank. Anyone have any experience with this fish?
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A reefer here has a huge dusky? jawfish, said it ate his chromis and any thing in his tank big enough to fit in his mouth haha.
 
Oh oh. Dusky's only get about 3.9 inches max. So most likely its a banded like mine. They look alot alike. So great this thing is going to try to eat my other fish? I thought jawfish only ate crustaceans. I have a pair of maroon clowns an algae blenny and a wrasse. The male gsm is the only one small enough to fit in his mouth. Now I'm worried cause I absolutely adore my clowns.
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ohh maybe it is like yours, its pretty big. He said when he first put in his chromis I think a group of 6, it came up and swooped one pretty quickly. Then over time picked off the rest.
He doesnt keep any fish that will fit in its mouth. other than that I honestly have no idea lol

beautiful jawfish though!
 
He hasn't tried digging a home yet. Just kind of hangs out on the sand bed. Doesn't seem stressed out either, breathing rate seems nice and steady.
 
Awesome fish but it looks like a fish that will eat what it can. If you check it on fishbase it even says fish make up a part of its natural diet. Do something about the clown before it gets eaten.
 
Very cool fish, but I'd consider the mouth size. I had a blue spot jawfish who ate my yellow clown goby twice. (he spit him back out the first time).
 
I appreciate the info folks. I think I will send him back and see if I can get a smaller species of jawfish. Its amazing how mellow she is, I can put my hand in the tank and almost touch her. Also after measuring she is just a smidge under 6 inches. She just has a lot of mass to her.
 
Sounds like a real nice fish. Jawfish are usually so skittish.

I have zero personal experience with anything like your situation, but I don't think my bluespot would have been able to get the yellow clown goby if the fish had been living on a BTA. That silly goby used to hang out right over the jawfish. All the jawfish had to do was leap up and grab him.
 
What a cool looking fish! Looks like one of those big, personality packed fish that you can design a tank around.
 
Marron2,

Great fish, have never seen one before in a tank, have read about them. There is enough data out there to say it will probably eat fish that it can catch / fit in it's mouth. I have had a lot of different jawfish (Have a BSJ, Green-sided, and pearly jawfish) right now. Would consider getting one if I seen it, but the size just won't work for my tanks.

I say keep the jawfish move the clowns, but I prefer jawfish over clowns. :-)

Probably will need to do something, hate to see a well adjusted current inhabitant get eaten by a newcomer.
 
Marron2,

Great fish, have never seen one before in a tank, have read about them. There is enough data out there to say it will probably eat fish that it can catch / fit in it's mouth. I have had a lot of different jawfish (Have a BSJ, Green-sided, and pearly jawfish) right now. Would consider getting one if I seen it, but the size just won't work for my tanks.

I say keep the jawfish move the clowns, but I prefer jawfish over clowns. :-)

Probably will need to do something, hate to see a well adjusted current inhabitant get eaten by a newcomer.
You are 100% correct. I love my gsm clowns. Sent the jawfish back to the fish store today. Last night it tried to eat my male gsm. Luckily for him that was one slow moving jawfish. The clown bolted for the anemone and has been there all day. I do love jawfish as well. Would love a bsj fish but I need to buy a chiller first. My tank runs 80-81 degrees year round. I would need to get it down to at least 78 I think before I got one.
Very sad to see him go. My lfs said they would try to find me a 2-4 in juvenile banded jaw fish. I think that was a very old specimen.
 
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