What kind of jawfish?

[alveopora guy]

I’m setting up a 55 gallon fowlr tank, and I’m having a hard time trying to pick out a species of jawfish. I’m ruling out the blue spot because I’m keeping the tank at 78 degrees. Anyone with experience with a certain species? Anything would be nice!

 

[Old Fritz]

I have a pearly jawfish (also know as yellow jawfish). They have a nice iridescent coloration and it's cool to watch him come out of his hiding spot

 

[alton]

Yellowhead Jawfish - Mated Pair

Yellowhead Jawfish, Opistognathus aurifrons are beautiful fish from Florida. Yellowhead Jawfish start at $18 and mated pairs at $55.

www.kpaquatics.com

They have singles also

 

[WMR]

Pearly(yellow head) jaw fish, tiger jaw fish, dusky jaw fish are the most common jaw fish that are readily available. I also like swordtail jawfish, but they’re hard to get

 

[alveopora guy]

I have heard yellow heads do not do so well in captivity at times

 

[Han]

I’ve had good experiences with my dusky in my fowlr, he’s big enough that nobody bother him and eats anything that fits in his mouth.

 

[SteveEreef]

I have heard yellow heads do not do so well in captivity at times

I’ve had one for at least a year in a half with no issue. He’s a model citizen and has a great personality

 

[alveopora guy]

Okay well I’ll probably go with the yellow head then. I love the color with them, but was just unsure about how they did in captivity. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[VR28man]

I have heard yellow heads do not do so well in captivity at times

where did you hear this? I researched this jawfish extensively online and in literature, I never found anything beyond that they were a good beginner fish that well in an aquarium.

I’ve had mine for two years now. One of the pair did die for whatever reason, but he was the larger one, so it may have just been age.

 

[saltyhog]

I have a pearly jawfish (also know as yellow jawfish). They have a nice iridescent coloration and it's cool to watch him come out of his hiding spot

How deep is your sand bed? I've wanted to get a couple but avoided them because when I see them in nature they seem to be vertical in their burrows. Is yours vertical or is he ok at an angle/horizontal?

 

[VR28man]

How deep is your sand bed? I've wanted to get a couple but avoided them because when I see them in nature they seem to be vertical in their burrows. Is yours vertical or is he ok at an angle/horizontal?

This is a good reminder as well: all of them need a portion of the sandbed to be deep (3" at least for YHJs, preferably more). I've seen them hiding under appropriate rocks or PVC in bare bottom LFS holding tanks, but it's not good for them in the long run.

And they need the right kind of sand. I used Caribsea Special Grade Reef Sand

 

[Jesterrace]

The Yellowhead is the best of the bunch to go with and easiest of the jawfish to care for.