Blue Spot Jaw Fish - Am I wrong? Please Help.

C

Carl T

I am thinking about building a Nano tank, a Innovative Marine Nuvo Nano 8g, featuring a Blue Spot Jaw Fish. The tanks useable footprint is approx 11.5"w x 8.5" d x 12"h.
It has a usable "Sump Section" at 11.5"w x 3.0"d x12"h.
According to this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-03/hcs3/index.php and this:"This reclusive behavior also occurs when actively swimming fish are present. Their dens range from 4 - 9" deep, extend nearly 9" wide, are 2.5" tall, and are comprised of mostly broken coral branches, pieces of coral limestone, bivalve and snail shells, and assorted pieces of hard material (Michael, Coral Realm). They feed entirely from the water column with roughly 85% of their diet being zooplankton (aRandall, '67)" Doesn't the footprint cover this providing a 4+" sand bed?

I am thinking something along the lines of 60% Carib-Sea Fifi Pink, 25% CS Special grade Reef Sand, and 15% some type of Coral Shell.
One of my questions is do you mix all the substate up together or do you layer it?

As far as tankmates, I am considering PJ Cardnals, or some other slow fish.
I am sure I will have numerous Q's along the way and will keep them in this same thread.
 
Way-way too small tank for a jawfish of any kind...especially a Blue Spot. I'm don't think I would even put a pj cardinal in a small nano.
 
+1 on that tank being too small! You really need a min. of 5-6 inches of sand for a bluespot (or any jawfish) and that would only leave about 6" of water above the sandbed... not much room for a fish that gets to 6"+ and tends to hover virtically in the water column. There isn't enough horizontal realestate either.
 
OK fair enough. I am not arguing, just trying to learn. If a Jawfish home is X deep, X wide and X tall and he suspends 1/2 body out of his home and he does not swim the tank as I have witnessed several, that is why I thought it would be OK.
Maybe just a species change. Rather than a Blue Spot... Lets go with a Yellowhead Jawfish.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1637+188&pcatid=188
I am still planning on the "Feature" with not much else.
I am planning on a 4-4.5 inch sandbed of various substate.
What I dont understand is the Minimium Gallon Rating. Blue Spot and Blackcap = 30g, Yellowhead=10g. What is the difference?
I know I see a Bluespot as he hangs out surveying the sights. Does a Yellowhead stay hidden in his den all the time?

I only what to what is responsible. If my 8g Nano is too small, so be it. There are other directions I can take it.
 
Too small for a yellow head jawfish too. These fish grow to be pretty big. They need room to exercise & hunt food. They are also jumpers. I don't think the necessary water perimeters are stable enough in a nano. The fish poo alone would foul the tank rapidly. Hopefully some of the men with lots of experience can give you more reasons why it won't work. Maybe consider a small gobie, although any of the sandsifter types will out grow a small nano eventually.
 
Actually the yellowheads tend to be out above the sandbed more than other species (from my own research on jaws, as I am planning to keep a pair of yellowheads in a 37g) so, would need more waterspace above the sandbed. IMO, when considering the tank size for jawfish, you are better to consider the given tank size recommendations as the minimum above sand space and then add to that size to account for the depth of the sandbed required. Ex. if a 10g is given for a yellowhead, buy a 15g tall to accommodate the sandbed. I'm no expert on this, but, I have just done a lot of research over the past year on the differant jawfish, and hope my understanding of thier requirements can help you too. One gulf fish supplier, CrammersCritters, states on his website that the yellowhead jawfish he collects live in large colonies where the pairs hold territories approximately 12" apart. This should be considered a bare minimum space requirement in an aquarium, too, if the fish is to be given comfortable living arrangements. I don't know the basic space requirements of blue-spots or the other species of jaws, but, my take on my readings is that the bluehead and tiger jawfish need more space than that.

Another consideration for any of the jawfish, is head room. As already stated they are all notorious jumpers...and with less space overhead, imo, they are likey to be even more jumpy and reclusive. My take on the tank size recommendations at LA, is that it is based more on the more sedentary life style of the fish...they don't cruise the tank, they hover in place and so don't require as much space, but, I think this is a good example of a fish that the given tank size is inadaquate, not so much for the tanks horizontal dimensions (which are marginally acceptable) but, in the lack of information as to the requirement of tank depth to accommodate the sandbed. Hope this is useful.
 
Thanks for your time and thoughts. It looks as if I will go in a different direction. I bought this Nuvo 8g specifically for a feature Jawfish. Ahh, another n00b learning experience. I may just try to sell it and try to get some of my money back. It is still dry and with the box.
Thanks again to everyone for the advice!
 
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