Newb questions regarding substrate with Jawfish in a 30

fuzzylogic · Sep 6, 2015

Anyone with experience have a recommendation about what worked best for them. Im concerned about a deeper sand bed and was also looking for some general advice regarding mixing substrates to suit the needs of my fish. Am I biting off more than I can chew with my fist sw setup? I guess the questions I have is how deep would you go, how many pounds of substrate total should I plan for and what type or mixture of types/sizes would you recommend?

eatbreakfast · Sep 7, 2015

I have tried 4" in the past, but found 2" to work just as well for them. I would add rubble and broken shells every week around the burrows and it would all get used up relatively quickly.

9balliw · Sep 7, 2015

Jaw fish are great lil fish from my experience biggger substrate over fine sand but a mix is best and at least 2+ And make sure your rocks are on glass and have a lid they will jump I had 2 yellow head jawfish in a 38 Nuvo and loved them. Mount coral frags or the most expensive ones will be building blocks and gone forever lol

fuzzylogic · Sep 7, 2015

Thanks for all of that info. Sadly my tank is rimless. I'm hoping egg crate over the top for a few weeks during the transition period will minimize the jumping

jedimasterben · Sep 7, 2015

They will jump out as soon as you remove the top. You will have to keep it on 24/7 for as long as you have the fish.

fuzzylogic · Sep 7, 2015

Interesting I have read opposing views on this. people claiming to have had success with them in rimless so long as they were established in the tank. I don't think there is any means of cover that wont look hideous to me long term.

steve&mari · Sep 7, 2015

I've had em and if spooked they will jump like any fish. We have a rimless and I made our top don't think it's bad looking at all. And agree with above on depth n type of sandbed and having small shells for it.

dc4 · Sep 7, 2015

I can hear splashing from my blue dot trying to jump out at night. Without the top I made from window screening, it wouldn't had made it past a week. Oh, and I buried a piece of pvc in the sanded, under my rock to help with its housing.

kschweer · Sep 7, 2015

fuzzylogic said:
Interesting I have read opposing views on this. people claiming to have had success with them in rimless so long as they were established in the tank. I don't think there is any means of cover that wont look hideous to me long term.

There's ways to make screen tops for rimless tanks that do not look bad at all. Here's mine

It sits inside the rim not on top. I used small acrylic "tabs" to hold it in place

fuzzylogic · Sep 7, 2015

I have to admit. that doesn't look bad at all. Is this a kit and you just diy'd the acrylic tabs?

kschweer · Sep 7, 2015

fuzzylogic said:
I have to admit. that doesn't look bad at all. Is this a kit and you just diy'd the acrylic tabs?

I got the aluminum screen track and corners from Home Depot, the mesh from bulk reef supply and cut the acrylic tabs from some scrap acrylic I had laying around. They are super glued to the aluminum screen track.

fuzzylogic · Sep 7, 2015

Nice, this may be my first DIY for this tank then. Thanks again. it's a 30 gal rimless JBJ I suppose I should weigh the pros and cons of adding something solid to cut down on condensation since I will need to have something there anyhow.