Pearly Jawfish Pair Tankmates

[JohnnyRoads]

Greetings all! I have a 30 gallon FOWLR tank with about 25 + lbs of live rock, the tank is doing well and have a pair of pearly jawfish in the tank, they have been doing well for about 2 weeks with borrows on opposite sides of the tanks ( but they do get along and switch once in ahwile) I would like to add one more fish, 2 max. Possible a pair, but what would you suggest for peaceful tankmates?? I am open to mandarin gobies ( i have a healthy pod supply ) what do you guys think?

 

[alton]

I had a spotted Mandarin that got along well with my two Pearly Jawfish here in my office years ago. It was a good fit because Jawfish do not hunt for food so the Mandarin was left to pick up the uneaten food with no competition. FYI if your jawfish end up being both males one day they will fight to the death. I found out the hard way with my two, they got along for more than a year with the smaller always giving and swapping with the larger until he got bigger then he didn't swap anymore

 

[JohnnyRoads]

Thanks Alton..I appreciate that insight, I will hope for the best!
What about a pair of purple firefish or banjii cardinals? Not sure if Jawfish would find the firefish threatening..

 

[alton]

Thanks Alton..I appreciate that insight, I will hope for the best!
What about a pair of purple firefish or banjii cardinals? Not sure if Jawfish would find the firefish threatening..

I have never owned either fish?

 

[SoloChromis]

Thanks Alton..I appreciate that insight, I will hope for the best!
What about a pair of purple firefish or banjii cardinals? Not sure if Jawfish would find the firefish threatening..

There's a fairly famous photo floating around online of a blue dot jawfish with the tail of a purple firefish sticking out of his mouth, so no, I don't think they would feel too threatened :lol: Blue dots get to be the same size as pearly jaws, so I would imagine the same thing could go down if the pearly was large enough, and hungry enough, and the firefish could fit in it's mouth

 

[JohnnyRoads]

Thanks fellas...I have seen the imfamous picture! haha! but I was under the impression that the pearlies were not as aggressive as the others..but I could be wrong.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Although there is the photo evidence of a single BSJ eating a single purple firefish, this is in no way the normal interaction between most jawfish and firefish. In fact firefish and other dartfish are about the only group of fish that jawfish will tolerate sharing their burrows with.

 

[Winwood]

I've kept them with royal grammas in the past without incident. Both species hail from the Caribbean so it makes for a great biotope display.

 

[Winwood]

I would also think you could keep them with chalk bass and maybe even neon gobies. Neon gobies are a cleaner species and are not seen as food by many fish. Both are also from the Caribbean.

 

[tmeade]

Thanks Alton..I appreciate that insight, I will hope for the best!
What about a pair of purple firefish or banjii cardinals? Not sure if Jawfish would find the firefish threatening..

I have had 4 Bangii an 2 purple fire fish in the same tank with a pearly jawfish with no problems.

 

[JohnnyRoads]

awesome..thanks for the feedback! Greatly appreciated!