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Yellow Headed Hidey Fish (1 Viewer)

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G

Guest

In advance, let me apologize for the long story.

Last Friday, I stopped by CityPets the day before their sale. They had one yellow-headed jawfish left- a fish that I've been looking everywhere for. Some of you might remember that amusing jawfish that used to hang out in the CityPets tank, first aisle, top right tank. It's really the one fish that justified my move to marine and reef aquariums to my girlfriend (so i'm sure you understand my need for this particular fish!)

At the time, I had four fish in my tank- a seargent major damsel that has been very aggressive since I captured it in Galveston, and 3 small yellow tailed damsels that have done fine.

After acclimating my jawfish, i released it and it was a constant source of entertainment for two days, picking up rocks, burrowing and spitting out sand. What a sight! If you've never seen a jawfish in action, wow, you've got to see one in action.

I noticed that the seargent major was intimidating it. (when the jawfish is intimidated, it opens its mouth really huge- another entertaining aspect.)

So I did something I had been trying to do for a long time. I had to capture the elusive seargent major and.... dispose of it.

I had tried to capture this fish before, because it has harrassed fish to the point of death in the past. This time I went all out, MacGyver style, with homemade traps made of milk jugs, coathangers, and well, you get the idea. I finally captured the fish.

After that scenario, i never saw the jawfish again. The day after, I saw sand spewing out of one of the holes in my LR, so I knew he was burrowing inside of this huge superporous chunk of LR I've got.

That was the last time I saw any sign of it, close to a week ago. I fear that I may have scared the fish with all of the commotion of trapping the seargent major. So Jawfish keepers- do you think my jawfish is gone, or tactically and quietly burrowing tunnels in my sandbed?

46 gal bowfront, perameters stable, tank about 6 months old, deep sandbed with some crushed coral for the jawfish- watching very closely!


Thanks for your input!
 
C

Cakepro

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I really hate to say something that's not positive here, but in my experience, when a jawfish disappeared, it was never seen again. I tried several times to get several jawfish to live peacefully together in my 75 gallon reef tank. They did, for awhile, but one ended up being dominant (I guess he had the biggest mouth) and drove the others into the rockwork, never to be seen again.

That one dominant jawfish has been with me for more than two years now and is definitely my favorite fish. Anytime I disrupt his burrow, he just reconstructs it, sometime 4 to 6 inches away from his original one. He's never gone into the rockwork.

But then again, you have a brand new one, so maybe he's just hiding. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

~ Sherri
 
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KarenHorn

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We have 3. At first two burrowed right up front, no problem and the 3rd was MIA. It stayed hidden for a good month and then eventually moved up front with the other two. We have a 135g.
 
OP
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G

Guest

Thanks guys-
It's possible that he could be hiding out in the back of the tank. It's against the wall, so i can't see around the back.
If not, please try to help me keep an eye out for a new one!
 
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Cakepro

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Karen, that's awesome. What a super feeling it must have been to see your third one reappear.
There's hope after all!! :D
 
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G

Guest

No overflow. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's gone, though I don't have any solid evidence. It's a 46 gal bowfront- though there is one giant LR with tunnels all through it, i figure there would be some kind of evidence, such as a mound of white sand.
I've only been into the hobby since June, but i go LFS'ing just about every week. Last week was the only time we've seen a jawfish for sale. Are they that uncommon, or has it been a slow year?
 
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AggieBrandon

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You can usually find them at Aquatic Center. Kenny usually gets them in pretty frequently. If he doesn't have them ask and I bet he will order some for you. If your jawfish isn't coming out when you feed your tank then I bet he is a goner. My jawfish go crazy when I throw food in.

Brandon
 
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G

Guest

Found him!
Today we spotted him in the back of the tank. He's got a new burrow in the back corner of the tank, where you really have to crane your neck to see.
Unbelievable, until today,we haven't seen him in a week and a half.
Thanks for your help!
 
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G

Guest

Now he has relocated to the front where we can see him very well.
It seems to be getting over its shyness too.
 
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G

Guest

my experiences with them: hard to keep alive.....

they tend to be freaks the first couple days.....then its either death or life for them
 
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incysor

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I got one on Wednesday. His burrow is in an area where we'll be able to see him if he gets past his shyness and starts to come out. Right now we can only see him if you get at just the right angle, and are standing at x-distance from the tank so he doesn't dart further into the hole where ya can't even see his head.

Definetely a yellow-headed-hidey fish. :lol:
 
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