Jawfish Burrowing Behavior

[JaaxReef]

So, I got a Black Cap Jawfish on Friday afternoon. I absolutely love the way he looks and he has a cool personality! He has eaten and seems healthy, but has chosen the absolutely dumbest point in the tank to try to burrow. The sand is only 2” deep in this spot under my Gyre pump in the corner and he can’t even fully tuck in the hole he made...

There are plenty of other spots in the tank with 3-4” of sand and caves along side rocks that he could find. I even put a bunch of small rubble by one of the caves hoping he would find it and try burrowing where there is more sand and materials, but so far no luck.

This is my first Jawfish, so I’m wondering if they move around at all or tend to stay in the same place. Will he eventually seek out a better spot?

 

[408Dartfish]

I have a black cap also for over 6 months. He moved a few times in the first few weeks but now has picked an odd spot for quite awhile. It’s such a cool fish mine is like 5”, he will steal frag plugs if not glued down. They will go get sand and bring it to there burrow if they want more usually at night.

 

[JaaxReef]

I have a black cap also for over 6 months. He moved a few times in the first few weeks but now has picked an odd spot for quite awhile. It’s such a cool fish mine is like 5”, he will steal frag plugs if not glued down. They will go get sand and bring it to there burrow if they want more usually at night.

Well hopefully he moves in the next few days. He looks miserable in the spot he chose... haha. He’ll also have a lot of lugging around to do of sand a rubble to make a burrow where he is now.

 

[408Dartfish]

Well hopefully he moves in the next few days. He looks miserable in the spot he chose... haha. He’ll also have a lot of lugging around to do of sand a rubble to make a burrow where he is now.

It’ll take some time but he will eventually have a huge burrow. There funny little fish I’ll clean the sand off a rock next to mine and he will spit sand right back there. What size tank and tank mates?

 

[JaaxReef]

It’ll take some time but he will eventually have a huge burrow. There funny little fish I’ll clean the sand off a rock next to mine and he will spit sand right back there. What size tank and tank mates?

45 gallon cube with a tilefish, melanurus wrasse, flame hawk, and one clown.

He originally tried to bunk with the tilefish in the largest cave I have and was kicked out when nighttime rolled around... ha.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

They are saucy, busy little critters! I have 3 Florida Yellow Head jawfish and they moved A LOT until they found the perfect spots. I used barnacles buried in the sand in spots to entice them to certain areas. Then, when they were kinda in a good spot, I put a bunch of coral rubble in the area for them to build with. Love these fish, so much fun to watch!

 

[JaaxReef]

Little guy finally found the hole with the tunnel I dug out and rubble I placed for him before he arrived. He is loving it and slowly building it out. Plus, it’s right at the front of the tank which is awesome!I hope he stays there. Definitely eating well. Still a little perturbed when my wrasse swings by, but doesn’t seem too stressed now that he has a burrow.

 

[JaaxReef]

Anybody else with these fish notice how odd they act when the lights go out? He explores all over the place (don’t worry I have a tight fitting lid)! He also looks super awkward swimming around outside the burrow. Hopefully he finds his way back and doesn’t start out in another new spot. He did some work on that burrow yesterday. I swear he made a tunnel under half of my live rock. Ha.

 

[408Dartfish]

A few times after lights out when I’m checking the tank out, I’ll see my black cap and he looks so awkward I’ve thought he was dead multiple times. I’m pretty sure mine even launches his poop out of his den also lol.

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

i've had a dusky jawfish for about 15 months now. he's just moved for the second time, to what i think is not a great location, as i can't see him or know if he is getting food.

the first move was really only closing an exit on one side of the rock and opening it on the other side. the last few days he built what i think is a second entrance, and now it seems he's left that burrow entirely and gone to new location in the middle of the rock work that i can't really see.

i hope he's smart enough to figure out he's not going to get a lot of food there and moves back or somewhere better.

by far my favorite fish in the tank.

 

[JaaxReef]

Awesome! Mine eats really well if I just spray food near his burrow entrance....

 

[Eva Rose]

Try making another little burrow option in another area. He may or may not pick the area you set up but will eventually find a spot. Mine liked about 3 different areas. He would live for many months in one cave then relocate to the other. They love empty snail shells to pile at the entrances. Often they have 2 openings. They usually prefer one as the “main entrance”. I suppose the other is ‘escape exit’ if needed.
He will settle eventually. Make sure you have a screen etc. cover for the tank. They can jump. Very cool fish to watch. At night they will slide a shell to close the burrow. In the morning they slide it open just like a door.
Mine would take shells from me for his burrow.

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

i've had a dusky jawfish for about 15 months now. he's just moved for the second time, to what i think is not a great location, as i can't see him or know if he is getting food.

the first move was really only closing an exit on one side of the rock and opening it on the other side. the last few days he built what i think is a second entrance, and now it seems he's left that burrow entirely and gone to new location in the middle of the rock work that i can't really see.

i hope he's smart enough to figure out he's not going to get a lot of food there and moves back or somewhere better.

by far my favorite fish in the tank.

i haven't seen mine in over a week. i'm hoping, like i've read in other posts that he is fine somewhere and will reappear soon, but i don't like not seeing him come out to eat.