Jaw Fish help

[jepuskar]

We have spotted eggs in the mouth of one of our JF. He isn't carrying them around all the time, sets them down in his burrow and will bring them up from time to time and then back down again. I thought they held them full time. Wonder if I have one of those dead beat dads.

Anyway, I'm not interested in them becoming fish food...we want to try and save as many as possible. I've only found one link out there specifically about this, but it wasn't that detailed. Has anyone here done this and can recommend a website or items to purchase?

I was thinking a HOB Refugium on my sump to start. Live rotifiers gets mentioned a lot for food...baby brine shrimp too? Any help would be appreciated...think I have about a week.

Thanks,

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

What species of jawfish are you working with?

 

[jepuskar]

What species of jawfish are you working with?

Hi, Opistognathus aurifrons.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Hi, Opistognathus aurifrons.

Looks like these guys have been reared on rotifers and BBS before, and the article has some decent specifics on how:

https://www.instantocean.com/ocean-of-knowledge/seascope/~/media/UPG/Files/Instant%20Ocean/SeaScope/Volume%2011_1994.ashx

Feel free to ask any questions you may have!

 

[jepuskar]

Looks like these guys have been reared on rotifers and BBS before, and the article has some decent specifics on how:

https://www.instantocean.com/ocean-of-knowledge/seascope/~/media/UPG/Files/Instant%20Ocean/SeaScope/Volume%2011_1994.ashx

Feel free to ask any questions you may have!

Ohh, this was the only article I found before: https://lifeoffish.com/yellowhead-jawfish-breeding-a-complete-guide/

Thank you. This is good stuff.

 

[twentyleagues]

We have spotted eggs in the mouth of one of our JF. He isn't carrying them around all the time, sets them down in his burrow and will bring them up from time to time and then back down again. I thought they held them full time. Wonder if I have one of those dead beat dads.

Anyway, I'm not interested in them becoming fish food...we want to try and save as many as possible. I've only found one link out there specifically about this, but it wasn't that detailed. Has anyone here done this and can recommend a website or items to purchase?

I was thinking a HOB Refugium on my sump to start. Live rotifiers gets mentioned a lot for food...baby brine shrimp too? Any help would be appreciated...think I have about a week.

Thanks,

The refugium isnt going to be enough. Were you thinking of putting the babies in the fuge? I'd get a separate tank with sponge filters. You'll need to breed rotifers and bbs specifically. You will need to feed a lot. Also look into white worms. When I had clowns I cultured all that in jugs. Babies need a lot and a lot goes to waste. I have also bred quite a few fresh water fish. I just stopped bbs cultures. I still have 3 producing white worm cultures. Tired of breeding fish and their food lol.

 

[jepuskar]

The refugium isnt going to be enough. Were you thinking of putting the babies in the fuge? I'd get a separate tank with sponge filters. You'll need to breed rotifers and bbs specifically. You will need to feed a lot. Also look into white worms. When I had clowns I cultured all that in jugs. Babies need a lot and a lot goes to waste. I have also bred quite a few fresh water fish. I just stopped bbs cultures. I still have 3 producing white worm cultures. Tired of breeding fish and their food lol.

I was going to put the fry into the fuge, but after reading that article I may have slightly underestimated what is involved here.

 

[taricha]

yeah. I also started trying to raise jawfish fry as my first rearing, and although I learned a LOT, I would.....not recommend it.
If you haven't raised clownfish from fry, then it's kind of nuts to try any species like this.

 

[jepuskar]

I picked up a rearing tank, a sponge filter, rotifier captiving system with feed and da rots...was getting everything prepped. Checked on the Jawfish before bed, mouth full of eggs with eyes...watched him at lights out..didnt see anything out of the ordinary.

Woke up the next day to nothing, no eggs in his mouth and back to normal behavior. No babies to be found anywhere and that was about 3 days ago. I'll be prepared for next time. Will be dialing my light schedule back to make bedtime more reasonable for me to watch.

Now I have a bunch of rotifiers..lol

 

[twentyleagues]

I picked up a rearing tank, a sponge filter, rotifier captiving system with feed and da rots...was getting everything prepped. Checked on the Jawfish before bed, mouth full of eggs with eyes...watched him at lights out..didnt see anything out of the ordinary.

Woke up the next day to nothing, no eggs in his mouth and back to normal behavior. No babies to be found anywhere and that was about 3 days ago. I'll be prepared for next time. Will be dialing my light schedule back to make bedtime more reasonable for me to watch.

Now I have a bunch of rotifiers..lol

Keep the rotifers going and feed them to the reef almost everything that eats pods will enjoy them. Mouth brooders are a pain in the butt. I don't know if its the same thing but in freshwater you have to strip them or isolate the carrier until they spit them out. I've bred many cyprichromis, if you dont strip them the babies are eaten pretty much as soon as the get spit out. Multiple checks a day once you see eyes in there and then you gotta time it just right or you may loose the batch, unless you set up a system to imitate what happens in the mouth. Basically light air flow in a clear container, egg tumblers will work if the fry are not too small.

 

[jepuskar]

Well....I tossed the culture as it was taking up room and I dont have any corals yet. I also sieved a bottle of rotifiers I had and dumped them into the sump...not sure if any were there, but whatever.

Lights just came on about 30 minutes and the same jaw fish has more eggs. ***...lol. Not sure I'm even going to try this time, we'll be away for a long weekend in 2 weeks..but perhaps just getting them into a rearing tank would be a nice first step to see if I can catch em.

 

[twentyleagues]

Well....I tossed the culture as it was taking up room and I dont have any corals yet. I also sieved a bottle of rotifiers I had and dumped them into the sump...not sure if any were there, but whatever.

Lights just came on about 30 minutes and the same jaw fish has more eggs. ***...lol. Not sure I'm even going to try this time, we'll be away for a long weekend in 2 weeks..but perhaps just getting them into a rearing tank would be a nice first step to see if I can catch em.

Thats why I said keep the rotifers. Unless something bad happens once they start breeding they keep at it while conditions are met.

 

[jepuskar]

Should I stop playing Barry White near the tank?

 

[jepuskar]

And of course another pair of my jaw fish has eggs. So I have 6 total JFs. Two Bachelors who hang out in the back with holes somewhat close and then we have 2 freaky couples with 4 holes within a foot of each other. Was walking by and glanced over and this other dude had eggs..a true W T F moment.

Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I best figure it out soon.

 

[jepuskar]

I sensed tonight was the night based on previous observations and I was right. Watched my JF release his eggs and I was promptly ready and shut down all my pumps. Had my wife and son right there and started scooping them out...got at least 100...don't laugh...but dang those things tiny. I had a light on my forehead to attract them to the surface and just grabbed what I could.

Transferred them all to the rearing tank that have rotifers in them and I'll see how far I can get. Just happy to have caught the process this time.

 

[twentyleagues]

I sensed tonight was the night based on previous observations and I was right. Watched my JF release his eggs and I was promptly ready and shut down all my pumps. Had my wife and son right there and started scooping them out...got at least 100...don't laugh...but dang those things tiny. I had a light on my forehead to attract them to the surface and just grabbed what I could.

Transferred them all to the rearing tank that have rotifers in them and I'll see how far I can get. Just happy to have caught the process this time.

Do you have live Phyto? If the rearing tank has cycled media its not necessary but may still benefit the babies by helping to control nutrients. I'd put enough in to slightly tint the water at the least it will gut load the rotifers before the babies eat them. BBS will be a good option also. I found that most baby fish really like white worms too. Following along, wishing you the best.

 

[jepuskar]

Yes, dosed live Pytho yesterday and just now. I'm not expecting much out of this first go at it, but we are all just amazed..very cool.

 

[twentyleagues]

Yes, dosed live Pytho yesterday and just now. I'm not expecting much out of this first go at it, but we are all just amazed..very cool.

I agree. I have never had this opportunity with this fish so somethings will be the same with any baby fish while others may be a lot different. It will hopefully be a good learning experience for anybody watching. Got any pics or videos?

 

[jepuskar]

Here is a link Baby JF

Do you know how Copepods and Rots interact? I can add juvenile pods, but not sure if they compete or what happens. Someone mentioned they had more success with pods than rots.

 

[twentyleagues]

I think the pods will possibly eat the rotifers but who cares as long as the jawfish eat one of the two.