Jawfish Jumped Out Twice

TheReeferer · 09/16/2015, 09:06 AM

My Pearly Jaw has now jumped out of the tank twice now! Luckily both times I was present and put him back. Both were in the middle of the night...

I got him not long ago and he settled in very well-- built his nest/hole the first day and ate the first day, however on the first night he jumped!

Then fast forward to last night, he jumped again! He didn't show any odd behavior the day before. It seems at night he swims up to the surface and is looking for something. No other fish are nearby so he wasn't startled by fish.

Both times, I had my egg crate over the tank, I'm getting netting as we speak. But I'm wondering what is it that causes them to jump in the middle of the night?

Tweaked · 09/16/2015, 09:09 AM

Umm, it's a jawfish. Seriously they need/want a really deep sand bed and a deep tank. In nature they hover about 24"s away from their burrow. GL

TheReeferer · 09/16/2015, 09:36 AM

I did plan for the guy and have a 5in sand bed. It's not uniform, he did make his burrow in probably around 4in of sand.

heathlindner25 · 09/16/2015, 09:54 AM

Quit looking at the tank in the middle of the night you're scaring him.

mattgumaer · 09/16/2015, 10:25 AM

Lost my blue dot to a vacuum cleaner incident (my wife apparently scared it). I'm still not sure how it got out of the tank as I had what I thought was pretty good netting coverage. I think the bottom line is that the more comfortable they are, the less they will jump but, they will jump. Unless you have very good coverage for every opening, there is a high probability you will lose it eventually. i suspect my jawfish may have jumped into the overflow, found its way down to the sump and then jumped out of the sump but, who knows.....

Matt

Tweaked · 09/16/2015, 10:48 AM

Agreed, my wife has had a large black cap in her reef for about two years now. She rarely runs her top, and its a 20x20x20 tank. Once settled in, they rarely leave their burrow

alton · 09/16/2015, 01:57 PM

You know those little things that swim around in your tank in the middle of the night is fish food for him. He doesn't realize he only has 20" of tank space to make his surge.

nuxx · 09/16/2015, 02:31 PM

We built screens for the top of our tank with a screening kit from Home Depot and netting from BRS.

Every fish can / will jump, so no reason to even chance it with even non-jumper fish.

We do run the other tank in the house without a screen... mainly since it only houses coral and inverts :P

ColinAbi · 09/16/2015, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuxx

we built screens for the top of our tank with a screening kit from home depot and netting from brs.

Every fish can / will jump, so no reason to even chance it with even non-jumper fish.

We do run the other tank in the house without a screen... Mainly since it only houses coral and inverts

+1. Making a screen is not hard to do.

stingeragent · 09/16/2015, 06:54 PM

Unrelated but my fox face for some reason has a panic attack whenever I clean the outside of the glass. He has litterally jumped out of the water and back in like he was a dolphin or something, and then it splashes water everywhere from the jump so I have to start all over cleaning the outside.

Bogue Chitto · 09/16/2015, 08:18 PM

My jawfish goes to bed before all the lights go out and puts a small piece of rubble over his door so nothing can get in. He moves it every morning and stays around his burrow. I've had him a couple months I guess. I feed him live brine shrimp mostly. He eats good.

heathlindner25 · 09/16/2015, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bogue Chitto

My jawfish goes to bed before all the lights go out and puts a small piece of rubble over his door so nothing can get in. He moves it every morning and stays around his burrow. I've had him a couple months I guess. I feed him live brine shrimp mostly. He eats good.

brine shrimp is like popcorn not very nutritious

ColinAbi · 09/16/2015, 09:47 PM

^ Mysis has much more nutritional value.

Bent · 09/16/2015, 09:53 PM

So far my red fire has not gone carpet surfing...yet.

I need a cover.

TheReeferer · 09/16/2015, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bogue Chitto

My jawfish goes to bed before all the lights go out and puts a small piece of rubble over his door so nothing can get in. He moves it every morning and stays around his burrow. I've had him a couple months I guess. I feed him live brine shrimp mostly. He eats good.

Yes, I believe this is what they are supposed to do.

My jawfish has once again settled in, this time probably at the worst spot. He's under the heater by one corner of the tank. He has dug a giant hole for himself.... but the heater doesn't cover the entire top of the top

TheReeferer · 09/16/2015, 10:43 PM

Another thing I was thinking it's amazing he didn't get brain damage from the fall-- the first was around 5 feet.. second was 2 feet onto the table.

wpeterson · 09/17/2015, 12:06 AM

Jawfish can be difficult fish to keep. It sounds like you've already gone out of your way to build a deep sand bed for his burrow.

We had trouble with our Jawfish overnights when the tank was completely unlit - it seemed like he would exit his burrow to feed and then not be able to find it again in the dark. This lead to jumping and the substrate getting torn up while he tried to dig a new burrow.

Our fix was to leave a dim LED on the tank all night - our Jawfish nightlight. He never had trouble after we set it up. When the LED died the first time he was back to his old tricks within a week until we replaced his nightlight.

Seems crazy, but it worked for us.

TheReeferer · 09/17/2015, 03:35 PM

Thanks wpeterson. I was suspecting that it's some kind of night fright. I'll give it a try!

Bogue Chitto · 09/17/2015, 07:30 PM

Yes, that's a good idea Peterson, I leave a little light on in my tank room, guess that's why he hasn't tried to jump.

Bogue Chitto · 09/17/2015, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

brine shrimp is like popcorn not very nutritious

Well from what I understand, newly hatched brine shrimp is nutritious, unlike the adults. I may be wrong. I have fed some mysis shrimp some, will have to do more. Thanks for the info.

TheReeferer · 09/21/2015, 10:24 PM

sad news all. I went away for the weekend and came back and found the jawfish on the floor dried to a crisp. Somehow he still managed to squeeze through prob a 1cm opening...

It just wasn't meant to be I guess

shred5 · 09/21/2015, 10:33 PM

Sorry about the fish. Jawfish are known jumpers and without a screen top they will eventually jump.
The only two fish that are known more to jump are wrasse and fire gobbies.

wpeterson · 09/21/2015, 10:41 PM

Ugh, that's awful. I'm really sorry for your loss.

For anyone else reading this thread, the other piece of advice I wish I had passed on was providing both a deep sand bed and small, chunky rock rubble (5-10mm) to allow your Jawfish to shore up the burrow and make it sound. This will allow them to be more secure in their homes.

Also, a BRS mesh netting or similar top is required to keep them from jumping out.

Sorry this ended badly, these fish probably should not be labelled as beginner fish.

ColinAbi · 09/21/2015, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheReeferer

sad news all. I went away for the weekend and came back and found the jawfish on the floor dried to a crisp. Somehow he still managed to squeeze through prob a 1cm opening...

It just wasn't meant to be I guess

I know what you mean. Mine somehow got into the overflow even though there is a cover and went down into the sump. He went through the baffles and into the fuge. Luckily I found him and put him into the DT.

09/16/2015, 09:06 AM	#1
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	Jawfish Jumped Out Twice My Pearly Jaw has now jumped out of the tank twice now! Luckily both times I was present and put him back. Both were in the middle of the night... I got him not long ago and he settled in very well-- built his nest/hole the first day and ate the first day, however on the first night he jumped! Then fast forward to last night, he jumped again! He didn't show any odd behavior the day before. It seems at night he swims up to the surface and is looking for something. No other fish are nearby so he wasn't startled by fish. Both times, I had my egg crate over the tank, I'm getting netting as we speak. But I'm wondering what is it that causes them to jump in the middle of the night?

09/16/2015, 09:09 AM	#2
Tweaked FUP&A Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Madison, CT Posts: 7,722	Umm, it's a jawfish. Seriously they need/want a really deep sand bed and a deep tank. In nature they hover about 24"s away from their burrow. GL __________________ DSA 105 Pro, Cebu Sun-Radiums-M80 Ballasts, 4 T5's, XHO LEDs. Through Wall 55g Sump, 10g Frag and 29g Display attached, Vertex V6, 3 mp40's, Gyre, 2 mp10's, GFO, Carbon, Pellets - 10g Bar Tank

09/16/2015, 10:48 AM	#6
Tweaked FUP&A Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Madison, CT Posts: 7,722	Agreed, my wife has had a large black cap in her reef for about two years now. She rarely runs her top, and its a 20x20x20 tank. Once settled in, they rarely leave their burrow __________________ DSA 105 Pro, Cebu Sun-Radiums-M80 Ballasts, 4 T5's, XHO LEDs. Through Wall 55g Sump, 10g Frag and 29g Display attached, Vertex V6, 3 mp40's, Gyre, 2 mp10's, GFO, Carbon, Pellets - 10g Bar Tank

09/16/2015, 02:31 PM	#8
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	We built screens for the top of our tank with a screening kit from Home Depot and netting from BRS. Every fish can / will jump, so no reason to even chance it with even non-jumper fish. We do run the other tank in the house without a screen... mainly since it only houses coral and inverts :P __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")

09/16/2015, 09:47 PM	#13
ColinAbi Hola Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 614	^ Mysis has much more nutritional value. __________________ -Colin -"The most amazing things that can happen to a human being will happen to you, if you just lower your expectations." Current Tank Info: N/A

09/16/2015, 09:36 AM	#3
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	I did plan for the guy and have a 5in sand bed. It's not uniform, he did make his burrow in probably around 4in of sand.

09/16/2015, 09:54 AM	#4
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Quit looking at the tank in the middle of the night you're scaring him.

09/16/2015, 10:25 AM	#5
mattgumaer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 561	Lost my blue dot to a vacuum cleaner incident (my wife apparently scared it). I'm still not sure how it got out of the tank as I had what I thought was pretty good netting coverage. I think the bottom line is that the more comfortable they are, the less they will jump but, they will jump. Unless you have very good coverage for every opening, there is a high probability you will lose it eventually. i suspect my jawfish may have jumped into the overflow, found its way down to the sump and then jumped out of the sump but, who knows..... Matt

09/16/2015, 01:57 PM	#7
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	You know those little things that swim around in your tank in the middle of the night is fish food for him. He doesn't realize he only has 20" of tank space to make his surge.

09/16/2015, 06:54 PM	#10
stingeragent Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 1,032	Unrelated but my fox face for some reason has a panic attack whenever I clean the outside of the glass. He has litterally jumped out of the water and back in like he was a dolphin or something, and then it splashes water everywhere from the jump so I have to start all over cleaning the outside.

09/16/2015, 08:18 PM	#11
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	My jawfish goes to bed before all the lights go out and puts a small piece of rubble over his door so nothing can get in. He moves it every morning and stays around his burrow. I've had him a couple months I guess. I feed him live brine shrimp mostly. He eats good.

09/16/2015, 09:53 PM	#14
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	So far my red fire has not gone carpet surfing...yet. I need a cover. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

09/16/2015, 10:43 PM	#16
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	Another thing I was thinking it's amazing he didn't get brain damage from the fall-- the first was around 5 feet.. second was 2 feet onto the table.

09/17/2015, 12:06 AM	#17
wpeterson Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 50	Jawfish can be difficult fish to keep. It sounds like you've already gone out of your way to build a deep sand bed for his burrow. We had trouble with our Jawfish overnights when the tank was completely unlit - it seemed like he would exit his burrow to feed and then not be able to find it again in the dark. This lead to jumping and the substrate getting torn up while he tried to dig a new burrow. Our fix was to leave a dim LED on the tank all night - our Jawfish nightlight. He never had trouble after we set it up. When the LED died the first time he was back to his old tricks within a week until we replaced his nightlight. Seems crazy, but it worked for us. __________________ DSA 90g/30g sump, 3x Kessil A350, 2x Vortech MP40, Reef Octopus 150SS

09/17/2015, 03:35 PM	#18
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	Thanks wpeterson. I was suspecting that it's some kind of night fright. I'll give it a try!

09/17/2015, 07:30 PM	#19
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	Yes, that's a good idea Peterson, I leave a little light on in my tank room, guess that's why he hasn't tried to jump.

09/21/2015, 10:24 PM	#21
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	sad news all. I went away for the weekend and came back and found the jawfish on the floor dried to a crisp. Somehow he still managed to squeeze through prob a 1cm opening... It just wasn't meant to be I guess

09/21/2015, 10:33 PM	#22
shred5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Waukesha , WI Posts: 4,998	Sorry about the fish. Jawfish are known jumpers and without a screen top they will eventually jump. The only two fish that are known more to jump are wrasse and fire gobbies. __________________ David Polzin

09/21/2015, 10:41 PM	#23
wpeterson Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 50	Ugh, that's awful. I'm really sorry for your loss. For anyone else reading this thread, the other piece of advice I wish I had passed on was providing both a deep sand bed and small, chunky rock rubble (5-10mm) to allow your Jawfish to shore up the burrow and make it sound. This will allow them to be more secure in their homes. Also, a BRS mesh netting or similar top is required to keep them from jumping out. Sorry this ended badly, these fish probably should not be labelled as beginner fish. __________________ DSA 90g/30g sump, 3x Kessil A350, 2x Vortech MP40, Reef Octopus 150SS