Jawfish
Before you bring your jawfish home to your salt water aquarium, be sure to provide it with a deep enough sand bed, around six inches, and plenty of detritus. Upon introduction to your tank, this fish will set about building a burrow for itself by clearing a place in the sand.
It does this by loading up its large mouth with sand and then spitting it out somewhere else. The jawfish will then gradually add rubble, such as small pieces of snail shell or coral, to the structure. So, keep this fellow supplied with plenty of building materials.
Jawfish can be found near reefs in the shallow waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico. From the protection of its burrow, this fish will venture forth slightly to feed on zooplankton and other small organisms as they drift by. When threatened, it will dart back to its den. At night, the jawfish will cover the opening to its burrow with a shell or rock.
Most jawfish specimens are very protective of their territory and should be kept in a large tank where the individual can carve out its own space. If it becomes frightened or stressed, the jawfish may jump out of the aquarium, so you should keep the tank covered at all times. This is especially important when the jawfish is first introduced into the tank.
Jawfish are physically similar to blennies, with a long, slim body, and large heads, eyes and mouths. They do well with small, passive and slow-moving tank mates, including blennies and dragonets.
The yellow head jawfish, or yellow-headed jawfish, as it is sometimes called, is perhaps the most popular among hobbyists because it is hardy and inexpensive. It has a baby blue or light green body color and yellow head, and can grow up to 4 inches long.
The yellow-head jawfish will breed in the aquarium. After spawning, the male jawfish incubates the eggs in his mouth and won’t feed until they hatch about a week later. Yellow head jawfish are carnivores and like to eat chopped fresh or frozen meaty foods, especially crustaceans and marine fish.
Other jawfish include:
- Blue spot jawfish
- Panamanian jawfish
- Dusky jawfish
