Yellowhead Jawfish

Care

The industrious Yellowhead Jawfish makes for a fascinating addition to mature reef aquaria, providing that one or two key requirements are met. These fish need a mixed substrate that is at least 10cm (3.9") deep. Ideally this will be comprised of 75% coral sand, and 25% small pieces of reef rubble (varying from approx. 0.5cm to 1.5cm in diameter). This will allow to the fish to construct a burrow, in which it will spend much time hovering just near the entrance, continuously rearranging things around and within its little tunnel. At night they sometimes close the entrance of the burrow with a larger pebble as they reverse in. The aquarium must have a tight fitting cover, as these fish will jump, and lighting should always be turned on gradually so as not to startle your fish. Their constant excavation and digging means that powerful filtration and water movement is prerequisite. Yellowhead Jawfish may be kept in small groups; in fact they often do better this way, but do ensure that there is adequate space for them all to construct their homes (in the wild they may live as close as 30cm to one another). Ideally all will be introduced at the same time to eliminate any territorial issues. Tankmates should be small and docile.

Feeding

Offer a varied diet of small meaty frozen foods such as Mysis, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, plankton, and finely chopped krill/prawn/cockle/mussel. It may be helpful to feed the jawfish with a turkey baster, squirting some of the food above their burrows.

Breeding

This species has been bred in captivity, but reports are few and far between. Courting and spawning is said to occur at dusk or dawn. Yellowhead Jawfish are paternal mouthbrooders, meaning that the male fish incubates the eggs. These should hatch within 7-9 days. A ready supply of tiny planktonic foodstuffs will be required. Amazingly, young fish start digging their tiny burrows at just 3-4 weeks of age.