jawfishjunky
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2006
- Messages
- 85
Now that I`m at the end of my "Gear Quest" I have a couple of interesting livestock issues that can only be addressed when doing this 65-120 transplant. Wrasses, Basslets and Pseudos are easy to trap out of a reef tank. You are pretty much stuck with Marine Bettas and Jawfish if they dont work out in the community.
Exhibit A) As the newbie I was 14 months ago (and still am BTW), I just HAD to have that cool Comet Marine Betta. I`m a sucker for juvies and the little darling was the size of a Zippo. The LFS guys thought it was "mostly" reef safe, and failed to mention to me that it was a GROUPER!!
I love this fish and the reef has thrived despite his eating habits.
What has also thrived is aptasia because the Betta eats every single shrimp I introduce to the tank. Once I added 10 peppermint`s at once. They were all gone within the week. The dude`s now the size of a palm pilot so I`m taking this oppurtunity to separate it from the reef. Im also going broke buying bottles of Aptasia X and Joes Juice.
I`m gonna convert the old 65 to a FOWLER so I can finally have some Triggers and an Eel. Will the Comet survive in a HOB Aquafuge until I get the 65 set back up? Or is that a bit inhumane? Maybe there is a cheap plastic in-tank quarantine type thing some one can suggest.
Anyways--He`ll fit right in with the new FOWLER 65 clientele.
Exhibit B)This is quite ironic. I AM a Jawfish junky, and bought one last December. I was so stoked to observe the den digging process. Ive been fascinated by them since Jacques Coustea introduced me to them in the (gulp)`60`s.
Well, I got to observe that great gravel-spitting, cave scooting behaviour for exactly 2 Days! Then it was gone.
I thought he/she might have been a jumper, maybe got chomped by the Betta or an aggressive crab. Maybe he just died a slow lonely death in the rockwork.
Well the truth is , it is ALIVE. For the last 8 months or so it has been digging tunnels under the substrate. I go under my stand with a flashlight and can see what looks like an anthill---dozens of tunnels in the substrate and around the baserock. The only thing Ive seen of the Jawfish in the last 8 months is it`s white belly as it slithers through it`s tunnels!
Is this natural Jawfish behaviour? Are they totally subteranean after digging their dens?, or might this particular Jawfish just be scared S@*tless of aforementioned Big Black Marine Betta Comet Grouper in such close proximity?
Ive heard of people prepping Jawfish burrows when setting up new tanks. It involves pvc and upturned bowls if I remember correctly.
If anyone knows how to do this or has an article link please shoot it my way.
Next week this Jawfish is gonna be unearthed from the substrate for the first time since 12/07!
peace and thanks,
JJ
And yeah, obviously "I got the bug" big time
Exhibit A) As the newbie I was 14 months ago (and still am BTW), I just HAD to have that cool Comet Marine Betta. I`m a sucker for juvies and the little darling was the size of a Zippo. The LFS guys thought it was "mostly" reef safe, and failed to mention to me that it was a GROUPER!!
I love this fish and the reef has thrived despite his eating habits.
What has also thrived is aptasia because the Betta eats every single shrimp I introduce to the tank. Once I added 10 peppermint`s at once. They were all gone within the week. The dude`s now the size of a palm pilot so I`m taking this oppurtunity to separate it from the reef. Im also going broke buying bottles of Aptasia X and Joes Juice.
I`m gonna convert the old 65 to a FOWLER so I can finally have some Triggers and an Eel. Will the Comet survive in a HOB Aquafuge until I get the 65 set back up? Or is that a bit inhumane? Maybe there is a cheap plastic in-tank quarantine type thing some one can suggest.
Anyways--He`ll fit right in with the new FOWLER 65 clientele.
Exhibit B)This is quite ironic. I AM a Jawfish junky, and bought one last December. I was so stoked to observe the den digging process. Ive been fascinated by them since Jacques Coustea introduced me to them in the (gulp)`60`s.
Well, I got to observe that great gravel-spitting, cave scooting behaviour for exactly 2 Days! Then it was gone.
I thought he/she might have been a jumper, maybe got chomped by the Betta or an aggressive crab. Maybe he just died a slow lonely death in the rockwork.
Well the truth is , it is ALIVE. For the last 8 months or so it has been digging tunnels under the substrate. I go under my stand with a flashlight and can see what looks like an anthill---dozens of tunnels in the substrate and around the baserock. The only thing Ive seen of the Jawfish in the last 8 months is it`s white belly as it slithers through it`s tunnels!
Is this natural Jawfish behaviour? Are they totally subteranean after digging their dens?, or might this particular Jawfish just be scared S@*tless of aforementioned Big Black Marine Betta Comet Grouper in such close proximity?
Ive heard of people prepping Jawfish burrows when setting up new tanks. It involves pvc and upturned bowls if I remember correctly.
If anyone knows how to do this or has an article link please shoot it my way.
Next week this Jawfish is gonna be unearthed from the substrate for the first time since 12/07!
peace and thanks,
JJ
And yeah, obviously "I got the bug" big time
