Where are my jawfish?

[jethro]

This is the first time I ever ordered fish. I got two jawfish yesterday. I had them shipped to work. I aclimated them according to instructions and dropped them into the tank. I left the lights off in the tank and in the room so they got at least 12 hours without lights.

This AM before I went to work, I observed that they tunneled up half of my tank and were very busy last night but I could not see them. The timer turned the lights on at noon. This evening I still can't see any jawfish but they remodled about 1/3 of my 54 gallon corner tank.

There are no other fish in the tank. The only other thing in my tank, besides pods, is a emerald crab.

Are these guys that shy?
Could it be that their schedule is just screwed up and they are sleeping? When should I expect to see them?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes they can be that shy at first. Give them time and make sure that tank is well sealed until the settle in. Once they have acclimated you will see them peek out occasionally - I got mine to start feeding by squirting a little mysis or brine near their den when I saw them out. Took a few days and now when they see me they all come out and hover over their burrows looking around for food. They seem to like ocean nutrition formula one pellets too - as these will sink slowly they work pretty well. Pearly's are less assertive than dusky and bluespots in my experience but they should be popping up soon.

 

[SnoopDog]

Yeah give them time, they seem to need to eat often too. Mine's belly will get thin if he does not eat every other day. In time he will come to the front of the tank. Like he said, they are shy.

 

[fishfanatic2]

They will probably excavate their homes first and then will still probably hang in the tunnels for a bit , occasionally poking their heads out. Some dithering fish might help them come out, examples being chromis and yellow tangs. They will eventually come out to forage, though.

 

[jethro]

They are now out. One started coming out two days ago but was very shy and would hide if we came close to the tank. He has since lost his shyness and has been very busy building their home.

I say "their home" because it looks like they are living together. The other one is poking its head out the back door of their home. This back door is only about an inch behing where the other guy is haning out. At first I thought it was the same jawfish because I would see the back one when the front one went in. But now I see them both at the same time.

Only problem is that they aren't eating yet. I started trying to feed them frozen brine. At first neither were interested. Now the one that is out front will take it into his mouth but he spits it out. The one living in the back door won't come out at all. It just has its head poked out.

I am considering getting one of those live brine hatcheries.

 

[jethro]

They are both eating now but are very careful and picky. They are eating some brine but still spitting some out.