Feeding Jawfish

[cowboy572]

Friday I added a yellow headed jawfish and it likes to hide. I don't have a agressive tank, just some agressive swimmers (Coral Beauty - Sleeper Gobie). I can't seem to get him to come out to eat. Do I just need to be patient and he'll come around? He might come out when I got to work but when I come home there's no sign of him except for some beady little eyes looking out from under his rock. I just hate knowing I have a fish in my tank that's not eating. Any Suggestions?

[msmith619]

I love jawfish but, they are very shy and stay in or close to their burrow. If food drifts by them, they eat but usually will not come out and compete with 'dither' fish for food. I have kept, and lost 3 jawfish in the past year. They probably starve by not competing with the open water fish for food. If you try and target feed, they drop in their burrow and hide. I am begining to think I either need a nano tank with fish smaller than the jawfish or a coral only tank with very few, very small (i.e. Ranfor'd goby size) fish for the jawfish to feel comfortabe enough to come out and eat.

[BSJF]

Once the den is made they should start eating within a few days.

My Bluespots have fed fine with large fish. What food are you trying to feed? I have the best luck with Rod's food or mysis shrimp for the Bluespots, but the yellowheaded jawfish may do best with smaller brine shrimp as a starter food. If they have been fed from a feeding tube in the past they will do fine with it, but if they haven't they will hide if you use one. You can aim your pump so it gently directs water past but not into the den.

As a general note, when possible, cooler temps, lower salinity, and low light also help them acclimate to a tank easier.

[msmith619]

I feed frozen mysis, brine shrimp, cyclops, angel/tang food, and krill. Lots of variety.

[MeteorFlower]

You can try target feeding him by loading up a turkey baster with some mysis or brine and squirting it in the direction of his hideout. That worked for me. Now my blue spot feeds well with the other fish as long as I waft some food near the entrance of his burrow, although I've heard blue spots tend to be a little bolder than the yellow-heads... good luck!

[cowboy572]

Thanks for the info. Thats what I have been doing, target feeding mysis with a turkey baster.

[BSJF]

Any luck getting him to eat yet?