Keeping a yellow head Jawfish

[eatbreakfast]

Thanks all, for (respectively) starting or answering this thread. I'm also thinking of this kind of jawfish (from KP aquatics no less).

I've heard 3" inches is all that's necessary before (in contexts where other people say 4-6"), since the fish will arrange the sandbed as needed for their dens. But this is the most interesting:



Are you saying that, basically, I could even have 1" or so sand, and if I provided enough rock rubble in a pile somewhere that would be good enough for it?

If so, I assume it's pretty small rubble. Is such rubble commercially available? I presume, say, that Marco Rock's dry rock rubble is too big (at least as shipped, I could always break it down even further........):
http://www.marcorocks.com/dry-rock/rubble-rock-any-amount-order-by-the-pound/

I do recommend a minimum of 2". I go to my lfs and get a "grab bag" of empty hermit shells and boken shells and broken acro skeletons. I give them 5-10 pieces of rubble and replenish it when used up.

 

[Sirsmiley9]

One last question with keeping a deep section of sand is isn't that a dsp and don't those need a special kind of care

 

[joec]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a yellowhead jawfish compatibility question.

In a 120, I plan on having the following and am wondering if this stocking group would okay with a pair of yellowhead jawfish? The 2 jawfish would be the first fish added.

Randall's goby
Midas blenny
pair Occelaris clowns
Leapard toby puffer
Labout's wrasse
Hoeven's wrasse
Flame hawkfish
Flamback angel
Black cap basslet
Chocolate tang

Are these tank mates likely to cause too much stress on the jawfish pair?

 

[OPhelanK]

My red hawk fish used to really upset my jawfish. I have videos of them annoying each other.

 

[Vincent cimmino]

Alton I threw some rubble near him and he already used it, very cool thank you

 

[I'm a natural blue]

I love these guys! I just added one to my 36g seahorse tank. Meet "Jaws". He was out and about last night, waving hello!

 

[C-Reefer]

I know this is a really old thread, but how shy are these guys?

 

[I'm a natural blue]

I know this is a really old thread, but how shy are these guys?

I'd say it depends on tank mates. Once my guy got comfy in my 36 I would see him poking his head out constantly and hanging out close to his burrow. I ended up moving him into my 90 when I upgraded the 36 to a 60 BB. My Kole Tang always harassed him whenever he came out so he stayed hidden most of the time.

 

[Flexin]

It does depend on the tank mates. In general they settle in. I had a blue dot that was fine, but I added a yellow flanked wrasse who should have been fine, just tortured everything in my tank. Literally chasing the blue dot and everything else all over creation. It seemed to start when someone took a morsel of food and all heck broke lose. Well, lost the blue dot and found a new home for the yellow flanked (it was so beautiful).. Now I have a black cap jawfish and a yellow watchman who have settled in on opposite sides of a center rock. I mounted the rock on egg crate since my sandbed is 2-3 inches deep so nobody would get crushed. They are so fun to watch and so active, they also watch you too... I would say I have two peeping tom's in my tank, the jawfish, and the hawkfish.

 

[C-Reefer]

I'd say it depends on tank mates. Once my guy got comfy in my 36 I would see him poking his head out constantly and hanging out close to his burrow. I ended up moving him into my 90 when I upgraded the 36 to a 60 BB. My Kole Tang always harassed him whenever he came out so he stayed hidden most of the time.

He's going to be in a shy tank as I call it. Bangaii Cardinal Pair, some kind of blenny, and then him. should be no aggression. Will he dart back into his burrow when you walk buy or look at him? Or even dart when you walk 10 feet in front of his tank like my YWG does?

It does depend on the tank mates. In general they settle in. I had a blue dot that was fine, but I added a yellow flanked wrasse who should have been fine, just tortured everything in my tank. Literally chasing the blue dot and everything else all over creation. It seemed to start when someone took a morsel of food and all heck broke lose. Well, lost the blue dot and found a new home for the yellow flanked (it was so beautiful).. Now I have a black cap jawfish and a yellow watchman who have settled in on opposite sides of a center rock. I mounted the rock on egg crate since my sandbed is 2-3 inches deep so nobody would get crushed. They are so fun to watch and so active, they also watch you too... I would say I have two peeping tom's in my tank, the jawfish, and the hawkfish.

So they are very active? Constantly making a burrow? My YWG made his burrow then quit, and I almost never saw him except he'd poke his head out at feeding time.

 

[Flexin]

He is always working. Easily the most active fish I’ve ever seen outside of simply swimming :)

 

[C-Reefer]

More then a shrimp goby like a Randalls or Yasha?

 

[VR28man]

Yeah, I would agree with the other folks. I found them to be quite active, as long as the other fish are peaceful.

See especially around 1:30


They’re very very industrious workers. If you were to be mean to them, and collapse their burrow every few days, they would still very actively rebuild it anew each time.

From my limited experience fish-sitting a pair of shrimp gobies, I would say that the yellow headed jawfish are more active than the shrimp gobies. Once they’re comfortable and settled in.

 

[VR28man]

Sorry for the double post

 

[leahfiish]

Yellow head Jawfish are definitely more active than shrimp gobies, especially at feeding time. Mine would go all over the 90g to grab food out of the water column. They were more active when there was 2 (mated pair), I still have one and it's a little more shy.

 

[Flexin]

Morning, yes, they are always not just working but interacting with the rest of the tank. Meaning not just watching and hiding, but they turn in every direction to constantly look around. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Flexin]

Here is my Black Cap Jawfish. Always watching and working :)

 

[Jesterrace]

Agreed. 2-3" is all that's necessary. Small rubble is more important for jawfish.

Glad to hear it, I was considering the Yellowhead as well but wasn't sure as some sites claim they need a 4-5 inch sand bed.

 

[ca1ore]

I would love to keep a pair, but I think my fish population is on the aggressive side and they would not do well. Interesting on the sand depth - I'd always assumed 5-6 inches.

 

[I'm a natural blue]

I only had about 2" of sand in my tank. However, I had plenty of rubble for my yellowhead to make his den. One of his dens was so elaborate he built a stone wall entrance made from (shells and rubble) in a complete circle! I love the way they look as if they are turning their heads to look at you!