I have had a Caribbean mustache jawfish (O. lonchurus) in my 125 gal. tank since October. It has settled in nicely, has a bold personality and is a good eater. With no warning or indication that anything was wrong, it suddenly disappeared. I saw no sign that the burrow was occupied, but there was no ammonia spike to indicate it had died in the burrow. As time went on I began to suspect that it had found some opening to jump out of the tank and the cats had gotten it. After a week, I began to see it lurking just inside the mouth of the burrow but it wouldn't come out to eat.
My working theory is that it is a female and this is part of the breeding cycle. The average temp in the tank went up about half a degree recently with the onset of warmer weather, and 2 days before it went missing I changed the photoperiod in the tank so the lights would be on before I left for work. I had a bluespotted jawfish that would sometimes disappear for a couple of weeks at a time and I later confirmed it was a female.
My suspicions seem to have been confirmed when it finally came out to eat yesterday. The abdomen is extremely distended but it was actively eating for the first time in over two weeks. Other than the huge belly it seems fine. In fact, its colors were much brighter than normal.
My concerns are than the fish may not be gravid and there is something wrong. If it is gravid, will it eventually expel or reabsorb the eggs? How likely is it the fish will become egg-bound?
Has anyone else had a similar experience?
My working theory is that it is a female and this is part of the breeding cycle. The average temp in the tank went up about half a degree recently with the onset of warmer weather, and 2 days before it went missing I changed the photoperiod in the tank so the lights would be on before I left for work. I had a bluespotted jawfish that would sometimes disappear for a couple of weeks at a time and I later confirmed it was a female.
My suspicions seem to have been confirmed when it finally came out to eat yesterday. The abdomen is extremely distended but it was actively eating for the first time in over two weeks. Other than the huge belly it seems fine. In fact, its colors were much brighter than normal.
My concerns are than the fish may not be gravid and there is something wrong. If it is gravid, will it eventually expel or reabsorb the eggs? How likely is it the fish will become egg-bound?
Has anyone else had a similar experience?