Bluespot jawfish

[Brando457]

I picked up a blue spot jawfish at a steal!

Anything I should know about these fish? I know they're jumpers and like to dig burrows. Mine made a nice burrow in one of the caves I made and snagged a snail to decorate with.

I have egg crate over the tank and the fish is on the larger side 3-3.5 inches.

Also should I be concerned about it and my yellow watchman?

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[Lenny718]

Just be real careful, they have been known to jump through egg crate. Other than that there great fish with lots of personality

 

[Brando457]

Given how thick he is I don't think he could make it out of the egg crate.

I picked Him up at a steal

One or two mire fish and I'm stocked.


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[Reef Reaper]

Yes, he can still get out! It has happened to me. Be prepared and cover the tank more.

 

[SIReefer]

I had a mated pair of YHJ that laid eggs. They are fun to watch but don't put any corals on the sandbed anywhere near their burrow or they will be buried. Mine never jumped - luckily.

 

[Marcellina]

I agree with SIReefer. Some of my smaller corals were disappearing bc my LHJ was using them to decorate the inside of his home He just took out the small finger leather frag from inside of his home to add to his 'wall barrier' I hadnt seen it in months and it looks all shriveled up now.

Brando I made a very easy cover for my tank using pond mesh and screen door frame. The frame you can buy in home depot and the pond mesh you can maybbe get there as well or anywhere that sells pond supplies. Make sure its the smaller mesh holes. I ended up putting two layers of mesh so he doesnt get through the holes. I think there is a tutorial for the cover on this site. If not I can walk you through the steps its pretty easy and its great bc it doesnt cut the light in the tank or give weird shadows liket he eggcrate will.

 

[Brando457]

Could I take the pod mesh and use the egg crate as the frame just got out any inside crossings and use the outside for the frame? I'm goin to the pond store tomorrow to pick some up!

This guy is hilarious though, my coral beauty swam by and he spit sand lol.


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[SIReefer]

Brando, They are a pisser to watch. Make sure you have shells & small rocks so they can shore up their dens. Also your rock structure should be directly on the tank bottom & not resting on the sand. I believe KathyC had a good thread on building a tank cover from pond mesh.

 

[Marcellina]

Brando, You could in theory do it with the eggcrate and take out the grids in the center BUT it will be flimsy. Its really easy to do it with the screen frame, you just buy it in a long strip its like 6 or 7 ft, measure each side of the tank and cut it the pieces one by one. Then use these plastic corner sections for the door screen and slip each of the metal pieces in.

SIReefer is right, I think KatchyC has instructions on here. I literally did it in less than 20 minutes.

I love watch my jawfish, he actually takes my sleeping snails and blue hermits and uses them in his barricade LOL

 

[Brando457]

I picked up the mesh today. They se it in 14x14 packs for $15.

I'm going to try my egg crate idea I think it'll be fine. I figure use the egg crate as the frame then wrap it in the mesh. But the internal section of egg crate will be cut away. I'll take a pic once I'm dne.


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[pdnyc69]

the mesh will interfere with you lighting. i built a make shift canopy around the top of my tank. they still once and a while jump into my overflow. but mine are smart. they jump back after a day or two

 

[Brando457]

How will it interfere? it's not a super fine mesh I got the one that is for a pond cover. The holes aren't tiny and are abundant, but big enough that I can't fit my idex through.


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[Marcellina]

No the pond mesh wont interfere at all, although Brandon I did a double layer of it on mine (tried to make it criss cross) bc these guys are known to be able to wiggle through small openings. Even with the double layer the light isnt altered.

I think pdnyc might be thinking its the screen door mesh? THAT WOULD have cut the light bc it thicker and finer holes. Pond mesh is ok.

 

[KathyC]

The pond netting that should be used has 1/4" holes, so it should keep the majority of fish in the tank, and has zero impact on your lighting.
Eggcrate has holes large enough for jawfish and royal gramma sizes fish to jump through

Brando - yes, you can gut the center out of your eggcrate. Small cable ties are excellent for attaching the mesh to the egg crate frame.

Perhaps I will do a Demo at the Frag Swap on how to make the covers using the screen frame method

 

[olivier]

KathyC,
the pond nest from Home Depot is 1/2 size not 1/4" unless you can point us to place that sell 1/4". I have homedepot nest and that cause my first jawfish casualty. I bought a 1/4" nest from ebay that that nest looking good however, the mesh wires quite thick in compare to 1/2" nest at home depot, 1/4" nest does alter my light a little bit.

KathyC would you please let us know where can we buy the 1/4" mesh?
thank you
Olivier

The pond netting that should be used has 1/4" holes, so it should keep the majority of fish in the tank, and has zero impact on your lighting.
Eggcrate has holes large enough for jawfish and royal gramma sizes fish to jump through

Brando - yes, you can gut the center out of your eggcrate. Small cable ties are excellent for attaching the mesh to the egg crate frame.

Perhaps I will do a Demo at the Frag Swap on how to make the covers using the screen frame method

 

[Brando457]

Even with the mesh and egg crate somehow he got out. He wasn't out of the tank for more than a minute but WTF.



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[fishboy113]

just get a heavy glass top I have one in my nano and in the middle of the night I hear a thumping noise and he was hitting his head on the top for about 5 minutes trying to break out there crazy fish and will find a way out

 

[Marcellina]

I hope he is ok Brando!

did you do a double layer of the mesh? The pond mesh isnt the 1/4 inch one I think its 1/2 inch thats why I suggested to put two layers, the second layer try to have it a little off to the side not diretly lining up with the first layer, that way it makes the holes smaller.

I never caught mine trying to jump out! wow fishboy your jawfish sounds like he has a deathwish.

 

[olivier]

I hope he is ok Brando!

did you do a double layer of the mesh? The pond mesh isnt the 1/4 inch one I think its 1/2 inch thats why I suggested to put two layers, the second layer try to have it a little off to the side not diretly lining up with the first layer, that way it makes the holes smaller.

I never caught mine trying to jump out! wow fishboy your jawfish sounds like he has a deathwish.

cross the mesh in two layers is a good idea. the only thing that draw me back from that is dual layers are not stick to each other therefore the fish can get stuck in the mesh hole when he try to get out.

Olivier

 

[olivier]

just get a heavy glass top I have one in my nano and in the middle of the night I hear a thumping noise and he was hitting his head on the top for about 5 minutes trying to break out there crazy fish and will find a way out

glass top is always the best solution but it take out the O2 exchange and over time, the glass getting dirty that block the light