New Pearly Jawfish Pair

[dmweise]

I got a pair of Pearly Jawfish today. They are one of the cutest fish pairs I have ever seen! They are giving my Pink Skunk Clowns a run for their money in terms of cuteness.

I'll try to get some pictures once they get more settled. They have made themselves a den and are getting established.

[JimD]

Those are my favorite fish. I had a male and feemale pair that would lay and tend to eggs but never got them to hatch. They were in a 20 gallon tall with an 8 inch mixed sized coral bed... They loved it! Good luck with yours, jump proof the lid, cover all inlets and feed them well.... We're gonna need some pics...

[dmweise]

They are pretty cool. I like them a lot. The nassarius snails that I have are making me a bit nervous. Each time that the jawfish make a little cave or bury themselves in the sand the nassarius snails think it is time for dinner.

Will the snails eventually learn or is this going to be a continual problem?

[JimD]

The're both gonna be competing for subterrainium housing so meetings are not uncommon. Most Nass snails are ditritus eaters and just plow through the sand looking for food but they will go for a free meal like the food in a jawfish burrow. . I doubt the snails will 'learn' but will most likiely continue that behavior. I didnt have any Nass. snails because of the course substrate. You may have to reconsider the snails assuming you have the oolitic type sand (sugar size)..hth!

[BSJF]

I have nass. snails in with my Bluespot Jawfish Pair and don't have any problems with them. You may just have some extra goodies around that area right now that the pearlys have stirred up. My wrasses and CBB on the other hand always hang out around the Bluespot dens for an extra morsel.

Enjoy your pearlys! :heart:

[dmweise]

That makes a lot of sense. Up until now I have only had the nassarius snails in the sand bed. The jawfish are most likely just stirring up snacks.

I think this one is the male:
http://gallery.me.com/dmweise/100013/photo1241815872490/web.jpg?ver=12418158720001

I think this one is the female.
http://gallery.me.com/dmweise/100013/photo1241815824895/web.jpg?ver=12418158250001

The one that I think is the female hides a lot while the one that I think is the male is more active, at least until the burrow is established. I need to get some rubble rock from the LFS so that they can have some stuff to line the edges of their burrow.

[princer7]

Where did you get the pair?

[JimD]

The male will have the two little black dots on its lower jaw and the female will not and also, the female may be more brightly colored and slightly larger.... Now I want to get me another pair...

[dmweise]

Where did you get the pair?

I got them at AquaTek. They always have great stuff. I got a copperband butterfly today because I'm having an aptasia outbreak.

[dmweise]

The male will have the two little black dots on its lower jaw and the female will not and also, the female may be more brightly colored and slightly larger.... Now I want to get me another pair...

I was correct about the sexes yay!

[JimD]

:applause:

[dmweise]

One of the pearlies is kind of scaring me. He keeps swimming up at the top and sticking his head out of the water. I had the to fish him out of the overflow box once already. The other one is getting settled in its burrow.

[BSJF]

Can you dim the lights (or keep them off) for a while in the area where they are trying to settle in?

Are either of them eating yet?

[OrionN]

I think you are right. The one with the two spots under the mouth is the male, except that they look identical except in breeding season. Out of season, the spot will disappear.. When I had my, I added lots of coarse pebbles for them to use to build a burrow. I would get get shells (oyster shell etc..) and smashed them so that they have the flat pieces that they need. From your pictures, I only see fine sands and rock.

[seatrueblue]

Yeah they need sea shells and lots of them. They like to decorate their home with these shells and at night close up their burrow with the shells as well. I always found it funny when my pearly would grab one of my cerith snails to decorate its home. Just the look on the jawfishes face was priceless, when ever its pretty new shell moved from the spot where he wanted it. Its always good to give them new shells every once in a while. I have lots of empty snail shells if you want them.

[dmweise]

Can you dim the lights (or keep them off) for a while in the area where they are trying to settle in?

Are either of them eating yet?

The lights turn on at 1500 and turn off at 2345. One of them seems to be settled. In fact I rarely see it. The one that is always moving around eats all the time. I haven't seen the other one eat, but it could just bolt out, grab a shrimp then go back into wherever it is hiding.

[dmweise]

I think you are right. The one with the two spots under the mouth is the male, except that they look identical except in breeding season. Out of season, the spot will disappear.. When I had my, I added lots of coarse pebbles for them to use to build a burrow. I would get get shells (oyster shell etc..) and smashed them so that they have the flat pieces that they need. From your pictures, I only see fine sands and rock.

I went and got some rubble rock yesterday. Neither of them have been using it. My Nassarius snails love the new rocks though. They keep moving them all around.

[dmweise]

Yeah they need sea shells and lots of them. They like to decorate their home with these shells and at night close up their burrow with the shells as well. I always found it funny when my pearly would grab one of my cerith snails to decorate its home. Just the look on the jawfishes face was priceless, when ever its pretty new shell moved from the spot where he wanted it. Its always good to give them new shells every once in a while. I have lots of empty snail shells if you want them.

Thanks for the offer Christina. I have a lot of empty shells. Usually when a snail dies I harvest the shell for hermit crab use later. I went and got some rubble rock yesterday.

[dmweise]

I haven't seen one of them in a few days. Should I be worried?

[dmweise]

I haven't seen one of them in a few days. Should I be worried?

Nevermind, I found it. :D

[OrionN]

....I have a lot of empty shells. Usually when a snail dies I harvest the shell for hermit crab use later. I went and got some rubble rock yesterday.
If you can get broken shells it would be better. I found that they like the flat fragments lots better than the round rubbles.