I just got this absolutely adorable little guy but he won't eat. I have a week to try to get him eating (before I can return him for credit) but it is frustrating as he won't even eat *live* brine shrimp. I know it's not very nutritious but I am hoping he'll eat anything at this point. He's in a small QT with a good 3" of very fine sand (I didn't have anything coarser..the main tank has coarser sand). I've tried chopped mussel as well. He seems intent on building a tunnel but the sand is too fine for it to really work :\ I also put in shells and pvc piping (he's left the latter completely alone). Some online sites recommend not QT'ing them as they are high-stress fish...the thought seemingly being that if they get a good burrow going in a main tank and settle in they'll be much better off. Also, as recommended, he is the first fish for this 40G breeder. I'd love to put him in the main tank but I don't want to contaminate it when this guy could have disease(s). Of course, he'd be the only one in there right now anyways...and since this will mainly be an SPS dominated tank there won't be many more fish in the future anyways. I could potentially just leave the tank bare of fish if it did happen to have a disease... Thoughts? Helpful suggestions for getting him to take food? Really want him to make it.
Blue Spotted Jawfish
- Thread starter rjarnold
- Start date
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salmonslayer
UP ALL NIGHT
Hope you get a fix. They are cool looking fish. Do they need sand to filter food?.
PS Take a skin sample and see whats wrong JK.
PS Take a skin sample and see whats wrong JK.
Hope you get a fix. They are cool looking fish. Do they need sand to filter food?.
PS Take a skin sample and see whats wrong JK.
No, they're not sand sifters, but they do need a deep enough sand bed in order to build their tunnels.
I may study fish, but systematics has nothing to do with parasitology
Lothar
New member
I would go ahead and try him in the main tank if it is ready to go(all cycled). Like you said, he would be the first fish and you could always let the tank go fallow for six weeks if you have any problems.
salmonslayer
UP ALL NIGHT
Hay, Them's is to big a words
Identification: Brilliant blue dots over it's overall dark orange/brownish body.
Behavior: Reclusive. I make a burrow and hind in it. Will only venture out far enough to grab food and then dart back into it's hole.
Maximum Length: Grow to 6"
Origin: Mexico's Sea of Cortez
Minimum tank size: 30 Gallon
Feeding and diet: Will accept Frozen P.E. Mysis shrimp.
Availability: Rare
Cautions: Notorious leaper. Will jump out of any openings at the top of the tank. Keep openings in the top of the aquarium to a minimum.
Optimum Keeping Parameters: Non-aggressive tank mates. Deep sand bed.
I would get him into a tank where he can dig and hide. They are shy fish and once he feels safe he should eat... Good Luck
Behavior: Reclusive. I make a burrow and hind in it. Will only venture out far enough to grab food and then dart back into it's hole.
Maximum Length: Grow to 6"
Origin: Mexico's Sea of Cortez
Minimum tank size: 30 Gallon
Feeding and diet: Will accept Frozen P.E. Mysis shrimp.
Availability: Rare
Cautions: Notorious leaper. Will jump out of any openings at the top of the tank. Keep openings in the top of the aquarium to a minimum.
Optimum Keeping Parameters: Non-aggressive tank mates. Deep sand bed.
I would get him into a tank where he can dig and hide. They are shy fish and once he feels safe he should eat... Good Luck
If you have a return option if it doesn't eat, then definitely do not add the fish to the display.
A fish will eat when it is acclimated 'enough' and not stressed 'enough.'
Keep trying different foods but look for and remove stressors. Provide more hiding places if this is a stressor. Return the fish before the week is up.
Then, I'd recommend not acquiring the fish unless it is eating. Here are some acquisition guidelines: Should I buy that fish?.
Good luck!
A fish will eat when it is acclimated 'enough' and not stressed 'enough.'
Keep trying different foods but look for and remove stressors. Provide more hiding places if this is a stressor. Return the fish before the week is up.
Then, I'd recommend not acquiring the fish unless it is eating. Here are some acquisition guidelines: Should I buy that fish?.
Good luck!
This is a hard to keep fish. The sand bed should be as deep as it is long. This way when it burrows it does not have to bend its body. They also tend to jump. This fish comes from a vast sandy ocean floor where it is able to hover at time 5 feet with a 360 degree view. This is why they jump. There tossed into an aquarium less then 3 feet deep and walls all around. It like tossing it into a hole. Naturally it will try to find its way out and end up surfing the carpet.
The fine sand is perfect for this fish. It's less abrasive then coarse sand. But it does require building stones. If you provide a pile of pebble sized substrate it will line its burrow with it. Make a few small piles around the aquarium and let it work for it's home. Lots of fun to watch this as it picks through the rubble looking for just the right size stone.
I have read up a lot on this particular fish after one died on me with no apparent cause. In the end i came to the conclusion that this is one of the fish that needs to be left in the oceans. I know a few people that are success full in keeping one so it can be done.
The fine sand is perfect for this fish. It's less abrasive then coarse sand. But it does require building stones. If you provide a pile of pebble sized substrate it will line its burrow with it. Make a few small piles around the aquarium and let it work for it's home. Lots of fun to watch this as it picks through the rubble looking for just the right size stone.
I have read up a lot on this particular fish after one died on me with no apparent cause. In the end i came to the conclusion that this is one of the fish that needs to be left in the oceans. I know a few people that are success full in keeping one so it can be done.
