I can't keep a blue dot jawfish

[Dave-T]

I've attempted this fish twice. Both times, the fish died after being seemingly healthy and eating. The first one lasted one month, then I got the second who lasted 4 months. Each made it successfully through quarantine. They each actually lived under the same rock. They were my wife's favorite fish in the tank, and probably mine as well, so I'd like to try again with this fish.

Any suggestions as to what I could do better next time?

The first thing that comes to mind is food. I was feeding frozen once a day. Usually mysis cubes, and sometimes spirulina enriched brine shrimp. (I feed other things to the tank, but that was all the jawfish got.) I always made sure that plenty of food came to the corner where the jawfish was. He always seemed to get his fill, but I guess I'm not sure if he got enough. Should I feed anything else? More frequently?

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

I will add one thing. For a few days before he died, he was definitely more adventurous - wandering a bit of a distance from his cave. Normally he always stayed under his rock, peeking out and watching the world go by. So maybe that's a clue. Another thing is that I also lost a similar fish at the same time - a dracula goby. He was under a different rock on the other side of the tank (6 feet long, 240 gallons...). And for a few days before his demise he was doing the same thing - wandering from his cave. So that's a bit of a strange mystery, isn't it?

 

[Petcrazyson]

What was the temperature of your tank?

 

[Dave1993]

These are cooler water fish than you run a reef tank they need a tank dedicated to them

 

[Petcrazyson]

Like @Dave1993 stated the regular temperature in a tank wether it’s reef or not is 76 to 80 degrees F. Blue Dot Jawfish unlike other Jawfish require very cool waters of, and this is summer, 70 to 74 degrees F. most of the time 69 degrees or much less. . Anything higher automatically lowers the chance of survival if it’s eating or not.

 

[Topekoms]

Jawfish like a cooler tank for one so as said above what is your temp? Also how long did you have it? I have seen that they can live between 2-5yrs most on the shorter side cause most people run their tanks hotter than their preferred temp range. So please give us some more details. Also what tank inhabitants are in the tank?

 

[Dave1993]

you need to run the tank 64 degrees (i believe) in winter and up to 74 in summer any higher you are lucky if they live 1 year

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've attempted this fish twice. Both times, the fish died after being seemingly healthy and eating. The first one lasted one month, then I got the second who lasted 4 months. Each made it successfully through quarantine. They each actually lived under the same rock. They were my wife's favorite fish in the tank, and probably mine as well, so I'd like to try again with this fish.

Any suggestions as to what I could do better next time?

The first thing that comes to mind is food. I was feeding frozen once a day. Usually mysis cubes, and sometimes spirulina enriched brine shrimp. (I feed other things to the tank, but that was all the jawfish got.) I always made sure that plenty of food came to the corner where the jawfish was. He always seemed to get his fill, but I guess I'm not sure if he got enough. Should I feed anything else? More frequently?

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

I will add one thing. For a few days before he died, he was definitely more adventurous - wandering a bit of a distance from his cave. Normally he always stayed under his rock, peeking out and watching the world go by. So maybe that's a clue. Another thing is that I also lost a similar fish at the same time - a dracula goby. He was under a different rock on the other side of the tank (6 feet long, 240 gallons...). And for a few days before his demise he was doing the same thing - wandering from his cave. So that's a bit of a strange mystery, isn't it?

Many dont realize they do best in cooler tank temps (74-76 deg) and youre not the only one lately with this issue questioning how the recent ones are being captured and from what origin.
Mysis, brine shrimp and copepods are popular foods for them and a Good (I dont advise drip method) acclimation for them may help with tank temp at 76 deg and they prefer sandbed of at least 3-4"

 

[Dave-T]

Ok, it sounds like temperature is the issue. I keep my tank at 78. What jawfish can handle higher temperatures?

 

[LordofCinder]

Yellow head jawfish comes from caribean so they like warmer waters.

Jawfish also require a few inches of sand for them to feel comfortable.

Please don't take it the wrong way, but 2 fishes died because you could not spend 30 seconds to google the basic care for your fish. Research prior to purchase is very important in this hobby,

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Agree with the temperature being the big issue. It is possible to keep them at temps above 72f, but they will only live a few months, maybe a year if you're lucky. They can live much longer when kept at semi-tropical temperatures. Instead, I recommend either a pearly jawfish or a black capped jawfish. Both should be ok at regular reef temperatures.

 

[Dave-T]

Yellow head jawfish comes from caribean so they like warmer waters.

Jawfish also require a few inches of sand for them to feel comfortable.

Please don't take it the wrong way, but 2 fishes died because you could not spend 30 seconds to google the basic care for your fish. Research prior to purchase is very important in this hobby,

Well I made the mistake of taking advice from the LFS. And liveaquaria lists the temp range for blue dots as “72-78”. I saw the “78” in there. I need to get better at researching livestock, but it will take me a lot longer than 30 seconds.

 

[Zionas]

They originate from Baja California in the Sea of Cortez, they’re a subtropical species that need cooler temperatures than the standard 76-80F for reefs. Many people don’t know this, but it’s perhaps the main reason why they have such dismal survival rates.