Jawfish System Size Questions, sel.  – 02/01/09
Hi!
<Reed>
I am in the process of setting up a 15 gallon high reef tank for a Jawfish (dimensions 20"L x 10"W x 17"H) with a 6-7" sand bed. It will be covered, have a sand bed of varying grades, have about 10 lbs live rock (that is anchored to acrylic rods for the fish's safety), and contain LPS and SPS. I have been reading that Jawfish that reach lengths of 4" or less should be fine in a tank as small as 10 gallons, so I was planning to keep a blue spotted Jawfish (most places list it as 3.5-4" although the WWM info lists it as 6").
<Mmm, Opistognathus rosenblatti? Needs more room than this... and too likely to have problems with anything other than tropical E. Pacific Cnidarians... yours may well sting this Jaw>
I came across a question asked on the WWM site earlier today that lead me to believe that blue-spots may be more "high strung" than pearly Jawfish,
<I do agree with this>
which has made me rethink the idea of adding one. I don't want to add a fish only to have it waste away. If I did not add a blue spot I would be considering a pearly Jawfish or a black-cap Jawfish (Opistognathus randalli, I believe). Which of these three species, if any, would be acceptable to keep in the tank I am planning?
Thanks,
Reed
<Either of the last two... but... there will still be potential trouble with the Scleractinia... Bob Fenner>

Anthias and Jaw Fish? Sel./Sys.    10/14/08
Hello Bob and Crew,
<Chris>
Thanks for the amazing resource!
<Welcome>
I have 2 stocking questions for you. I am currently upgrading what has been a very successful 30 gallon SPS dominated tank (yes, required lots of overkill equipment not normally seen on a system this small to maintain proper parameters) to a 65 gallon display with a 37 gallon sump and 20 gallon refugium. I will have approximately 50X turnover in the main display (non laminar flow, random to keep my SPS happy)
<Ahh! Much better, and easier to maintain>
Filtration for the new system will consist of an AquaC 180 skimmer, ~100 lbs of Fiji live rock and the fuge (on reverse daylight cycle).
I will be using a Phosban reactor and carbon reactor (carbon as needed) to maintain low PO4 and high clarity. The system will be running an AquaController maintained calcium reactor and Kalk reactor to maintain pH/Ca/Alk.
<Lots of automation>
My current stock includes a small flasher wrasse, a yellow assessor, a mandarin (eats mysis) and a Banggai cardinal. I also have a golden angel (Centropyge aurantius) that has been in my quarantine system that I would like to add to the new tank should it be able to prove itself generally uninterested in eating SPS corals clams and Acans.
<You'll see>
(small frags/a clam will be rotated through the QT system to assess this behavior as best as possible.) There are two additional species I would like to add but am wary of stocking capacity and fish behavior.
1) In the past, I have always maintained ~1 inch of sand in my reef tanks (which was vacuumed weekly as part of my water change routine).
I have read several opinions on this site and others re sand depth and this species. Do you think this fish
<... Opistognathus aurifrons?>
be reasonably content with 2-3 inches of sand and would it be okay to employ this much sand with a weekly/bi-weekly vacuuming regimes? I would rather not go into the uncharted territory of DSBs if I can help it (and would gladly forgo this specimen if need be).
<S/b fine here... may well pile up some of this material... No big deal>
2) The other slightly controversial addition that I would love to include but fear I may need to forgo is a m/f pair of some sort of Anthias. I have found hugely conflicting information in regard to the husbandry of these fish. I see that conspecific aggression is a major issue in haremic groupings between females or between two males. I have not been able to find any information about the behavior of a male female pair (particularly in the relatively small system)
Pseudanthias bartlettorum seems to be on the smaller end of the easier to maintain members of the group. Nemanthias carberryi also seems to be a smaller species that might be suitable (sources conflict on adult size). What are your thoughts on putting a m/f pair of these or other Anthias in the described system?
<Some species, as you state, can/do get along in smaller numbers, sex ratios in captivity. Bartlett's is a good choice here, but your system is getting a bit crowded...>
I do not anticipate adding additional fish to the system beyond this stock list.
Thanks for your time and input,
Chris
<And you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Re: Anthias and Jaw Fish?  10/14/08
Hello Bob (and crew),
<Chris>
Thanks for your quick reply. My apology for not including the species of jaw fish I am looking to keep! I thought i had included that info but in retrospect i see that i did not! I wanted to house a single Opistognathus rosenblatti
<Ahh, named in honor of Dick Rosenblatt, of SIO here (in San Diego)...>
in the system. Will he work in the proposed environment?
Best regards,
Chris
<Mmm, I discourage its use here... this species really needs much deeper substrate, a much larger display to "feel comfortable"... it would too likely perish (or jump out) quickly here. The TWA "goldhead" would be a much more appropriate choice/try. Bob Fenner>

Re: Anthias and Jaw Fish? Stkg.,   10/15/08
Hello Bob (and crew),
<Chris>
Thanks for the heads up on the O. rosenblatti.
<Ahh, I do wish Alex Kerstitch (one of the first to collect...) was about still>
I am finding the 65 gallon tank to be remarkably awkward to stock. If they are not right for my system, i just assume to forget about trying to keep the jaw fish and the Anthias.
<This really is best... perhaps the next (even larger) upgrade...>
Clearly he system is too small for most (if not all) tangs but i saw a citation on your website where someone was told they could get away with a Ctenochaetus sp. in this size tank. sources seem to conflict on Ctenochaetus tank requirements (even on this site). Do you think I would be pushing the boundaries of proper husbandry to include a Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis in my proposed system?
<Ultimately, yes... if this setting is "too busy" with other livestock, folks happening by, this Chevy will be very unhappy>
I would think that if I could keep this species, I would leave the fish population to consist of the yellow assessor, the mandarin, the Banggai, the flasher wrasse and the golden angel (should he make the cut in terms of not eating corals...)
<... and to tell you more of some "fact" (truth if you can allow the term), C. aurantius lives in quite large "lek" territories... about the size of a typical room in a house... I would not stock this species here either really>
I think that my total system volume (~100-120gal) and my filtration scheme is large enough to handle this population but I'm not so sure about tank space.
<What you hint about is very important... Psychological/behavioral space... as you state above, a/the 65 gallon really isn't very large>
The Banggai and the mandarin occupy a different niche in the reef than the others so they may not be in such a conflict for territory.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks for your time,
Chris
<You have them, welcome. BobF>

Tiger Jawfish selection and compatibility 09/27/2008
Hey!
<<Good morning, Andrew today>>
I have a couple of questions for the pros. :)
<<Lets get to work then...>>
First of all, is it better for a fish if a person buys it right when it gets to the LFS (still in the original bag)?
<<Nope. This should never be done as the fish will not of gone through shop quarantine, no idea on how healthy the fish is>>
Though these fish are expensive, it seems that it would be most healthy for the fish to be acclimated and "relocated" as few times as possible, thus exposed to less stress, pathogens, etc.
<<That is a logical way to think on it. However, we do need to be sure that what we are buying is healthy, eats fine etc etc before purchase>>
Many people have told me to wait until the fish is eating and lively in the retailer's tank.
<<I would agree with that>>
Is there any reason for this besides saving money? Since there is no guarantee that the animal will adjust well to the customer's tank, why not buy it right away if it looks healthy in the bag(of course quarantining it before introducing it to the main tank)? I want to do what is most favorable for my fish. Money is not nearly as important to me as their contentment and health.
<<See above>>
Secondly, I just bought a four inch long Tiger Jawfish.
<<Superb, such a great fish indeed>>
He is in quarantine right now, but is destined for my 55 gallon "TV"(yes, I am addicted. I watch my aquarium for an average of three hours a day. Obsessed, yes. Proud of it? HECK YES!)
<<Heeeeeeeeeee>>
The Catch-22 is that I have a 2 inch skunk cleaner shrimp living in the TV. Lol. That sounds ridiculous. Anyway, do you think the Jawfish will enjoy delicacy-o-prawn as well as the new digs when I introduce him? He has a huge mouth and I don't want him to decide that "Cocktail" is the perfect size for it.
<<The shrimp will be safe enough with this fish>>
And lastly, I was looking on your clownfish diseases page, but I couldn't diagnose the condition on my 2 inch maroon clown. She (I assume it is a she b/c there is no competition for dominance)has a pale vertical streak of white near her tail(and no, it isn't one of her stripes. ;) that is very slowly growing.
<<Ok>>
A small fuzzy white ball about the size of the ball on a ball-point-pen appeared in the middle of the streak a couple days ago. I did a full water change in the quarantine tank last night, suspecting that the problem is fungal. Then I gave her a fresh-water dip for five minutes...she didn't exactly appreciate that too much. But I noticed that during the dip she produced excessive slime coat.
<<Ok, not problem with this reaction>>
I held her in my hand and moved her back and forth to keep her gills clear. Then I rubbed the ball gently and it fell off, revealing a small red wound underneath.
<<As i would expect there to be>>
It appears that the fungus was eating through the skin. Is this possible? Or is it more likely that the fungus grew from the wound after it was created? If you think the was fed by the wound, then what is the white streak?
<<Sounds more like an external parasite. Please read here, paying attention to the parasitic agents. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnfshdisart.htm >>
Thank you so much for your time and thoughts!
Brielle
<<Thanks for the questions, hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Pairing Blue Spot Jawfish 03/04/2008
I am writing to ask if it is possible to have Blue spot jaws pair up? I purchased a small BSJ and within a week found a larger specimen with a substantial size head. I rolled the dice and hoped they would form a pair. Well, little BSJ went fin to fin with large BSJ. The little one escaped alive minus a hunk of his lip. Now each has started to settle on different ends of the tank, and engage in stare downs. I have moved LR to create obstructions in their sight paths. Is there any hope they will pair?
<<I Would guess not. Keeping two Jawfish such as these does need a large amount of space between them, and i imagine in your tank, they are literally at opposite ends>>
or should I just be happy I don't have little bits of blue and yellow very pricey fish flesh floating about?
<<Yes, be happy>>
Just to add, they are alone in a species only 30 g tank. LR and deep mixed sand bed. Just hermits and cleaner crew. Both are eating fine, even the one with the missing lip.
<<To be honest, i would not of recommended two of these in a tank so small>>
This is my first attempt at BSJ. I have breeding pairs of pearly jaws in 2 other tanks. But these flashy fellas seem a very different beast, than their Caribbean cousins.
<<Indeed. More reading for you here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/jawfishe.htm>>
Thanks, Beth
<<Thanks for the questions. A Nixon>>

Tank stocking... 37-gallon starting with a Jawfish  8/28/07
Okay, my tank is 37 gallons, with 40 pounds of live rock and a deep sand bed. I am getting a yellowhead Jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons) tomorrow,
<One of my favorite fish! These fish are a delight to watch, with enchanting personalities thought they always look mad to me. A couple things you should know. Hopefully your LR is directly on the bottom of you tank and not sitting on top of your sand bed as this fish may very well try to excavate around your LR. If it is not directly sitting on the glass it could lead to LR collapse possibly crushing your livestock. You should also add a bit of mixed gravel, LR rubble, coral bits so your Jawfish can construct a burrow. Sometime they adapt well to buried lengths of PVC. They are jumpers and will find the darndest little hole from which to escape and go carpet surfing. Please make sure your tank is well covered. More here and related links in blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/jawfishe.htm >
and I'm trying to think of what else to put with it. I know they need peaceful fish.
<Yes.>
I was thinking of this:
1 blue assessor
<Good in theory, though, with all the different LFS I gone to, I've never seen one in person.>
1 Wheeler's watchman goby w/ a pistol shrimp
<Neat symbiotic relationship. You may want to consider a Blackray Shrimp Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes) with its symbiotic shrimp as this fish is about half the size and will be less of a bioload.>
2 clarkii clownfish
<These can reach a good size up to 5.5 inches... acquire juveniles if you wish to keep a pair.>
2 multibanded pipefish
<No. I would highly discourage you. These lovely animals need a dedicated system and specialized care. They can be challenging o feed and require live foods. They generally do not do well in a mixed reef environment. Please reconsider this. Aside from this you already pushing your stocking density. With the fish you mention above.>
Would there be any aggression issues here?
<Hopefully not, though I would keep my eye on the goby and the Jawfish as they are both bottom dwellers. Good luck, Mich>

Re: Tank stocking... 37-gallon starting with a Jawfish... Now Pipefish  8/28/07
Thanks for the reply.
<Welcome!>
I understand the concerns about the Jawfish, and my liverock is stable on the bottom of the tank. The tank is also fully covered.
<Excellent... Hopefully will save you from potential heartbreak... I love these fish, and I think they are terribly easy to get attached to.>
However, the information you gave me on the pipefish goes against the research I've done on them so far. I am aware that they may be challenging to feed, and I would be prepared for that.
<Their survival rate is dismal at best and they are really only suited for the most experienced hobbyist who is dedicated to their specific care requirements. Please read here and the related links in blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pipehorsies2.htm >
But from what I've read, pipefish actually do better in reefs because of all the microfauna.
<Yes, this is true and I likely should have clarified. They do best in a pod/microfauna rich environment. However they should be in a low flow dedicated system with only other syngnathids as tankmates. They should not be placed in your average reef system. This is akin to taking the baby out of the baby pool and placing the child in with the crazy surfers who hang ten before/during/after a hurricane. Contrary to MarthaS... Not a good thing.>
They seem smart enough to avoid stinging corals (which I won't have) and most can be trained onto Mysis anyway.
<Yes, but they are not easy to maintain and unless this fish is your absolute passion, I would discourage you from attempting to keep.>
I do understand that I may be pushing the stocking with the amount of fish, so I would be willing to take out the clownfish.
<This is not the issue here. The pipefish is not compatible with this system or any broad-spectrum reef setup. They require dedicated family specific systems.>
I'm not trying to argue here, I'm just confused.
<I understand and hopefully I have clarified. Mich>

Re: Tank stocking... 37-gallon starting with a Jawfish 8/28/07
Thanks for clarification
<You are welcome!>
and I think I will now exclude the pipefish from my stocking plans. =)
<Yay! I think you are very wise here.>
The Jawfish arrived today (from Liveaquaria) and is already eating.
<Double yay! Isn't it just toooo dang cute?
Thanks for your help.
<You are very welcome and I commend you for your decision to avoid keeping pipefish. Mich>

Bluespot Jawfish, avail.   8/8/07
Hello crew.
Any idea when the Bluespot Jawfish will be back in stores?
<Mmm, no... not so much a seasonal item, as just a species with a limited distribution and collection range... Depends on when folks get out to get it...>
Also, are they able to collect them year round? Any restrictions?
<Collected from time to time, depending on when folks travel to Baja's tip... need the money. Do have to have Mexican and U.S. permits... but these can be had nowadays. Have your LFS contact Quality Marine in LA. Bob Fenner>
Thanks Dan

Blue Spot Jawfish, sel.  - 7/20/07
I was just wondering if you know why this fish is so rare in pet stores? I live in Illinois and have seen the fish twice at a price of $300.00. Are they a protected fish? Thanks Dan
<Mmm, just not common or easily caught... I knew the original describer, Alex Kerstitch... and have seen this fish in its range: http://fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=46578
The lower third of the Sea of Cortez... Oh, and demand I guess. Bob Fenner>

Re: Blue Spot Jawfish  7/20/07
Thanks for get back Bob. I had a bsj for 4 months, water quality was great and the Jawfish feeding appetite was excellent. He arrange the sandbed to which he liked,
<Where are the spaces between your sentences?>
and the problems started. The tank was also a reef setup with corals on the sandbed, which he no longer cared for. The Jawfish would blow sand all over the corals on the sandbed, and on the corals that where higher on the live rock.
<What they do>
It was a everyday event to get the sand off the corals, and I finally gave up. I return the fish for a store credit,8 months later jaw is still in the display tank, and I regret giving him up. Thanks for the excellent article on the Jawfish, I'm ready to purchase another one. I think the two problems that I didn't know were, not giving the bsj any rubble to make his den, and not enough space with the corals on the sandbed so he could a 360 view. I would appreciate any comment you have. Thanks Dan
<Good points... BobF>

Re: Opistognathus rosenblatti   1/29/07
Thank you so much for your quick reply BOB lol  Sorry, but for some reason I always think you're a Ron.
<I hope you like him... too!>
I'm a bit confused as to why all the books list them as a  tropical species... when in fact they are not.   I have searched many sites and  read many books and have not seen this fish ever listed as a cool water specie until I found the German reef site.   This incredible fish has been basically wasting away in our tanks because of it.  I'm at a loss as to why  this "new knowledge" isn't being published in more reef and fish magazines, books, forums etc.  Reef keepers must be made aware of this change. In my humble opinion, anyways.
thank you
Lynn McKinney
<Mmm... you can search the location sites given on Fishbase.org: http://fishbase.org/museum/OccurrencesList.cfm?id=46578
and in turn the weather/water temp. data for these localities... not all that warm, I assure you. BobF>

Jawfish quarantine
Hello everyone,
     I thank you for the headaches you relieve (better than Excedrin).  I just read Mr. Fenner's article on Jawfishes and he stated that if one is to keep multiple specimens in a single tank, it is better to introduce them at the same time.  He also stated that they were somewhat territorial.  If I am to quarantine them (2 yellow headed Jawfish) should I place a divider between the two?
<Yes, a good idea in a small tank... alternatively, and this may seem counter-intuitive, if you had a handful of these fish, they could be crowded together w/ little risk>
Will they be ok together in a ten gallon q tank for about a month without causing each other damage?  Usually I don't put substrate on the bottom of the q tank, will it stress them out if I don't?
<I would place at least sections of PVC pipe, but some coarse coral rubble be best>
On a related note, how does one determine the sex of a Jawfish?  Are you guys a non-profit yet?
<Don't know how to sex Jawfishes... and not an official non-profit, but not profitable!>
  Maybe you should look into it if you're not!  Thank you for your help.
-Cory
<Thank you for writing, Bob Fenner>