substrate for jawfish - section of cc

[fish fry]

Hey guys,
I'm interested in possible keeping a jawfish or two in the tank I'm planning. My understanding is that they do best when the substrate is a blend of sand and C.C.
I want to have a DSB in the tank. Would it be possible to set up a little area (say 6 by 8) in the DSB. This area would have C.C. so the jawfish could make its home. I could use some kind of plastic to form a wall to section off the DSB from the CC.
Any reasons why this would not work? And if it is not going to work what would?
I would assume that the jawfish would search the tank for a place to make his home and settle on an area that has the most suitable substrate.
Thanks
Fish Fry

 

[von_rahvin]

i LOVE jawfish. they will move to whereever they want. if they need sand or rocks they will move them. remember that they dig UNDER rocks so if yours are not on the bottom be prepared to have some rocks moving. mine seem to be happy when they are just in a sand bed with scattered rocks. everynight they would build litle forts around the mouths of their holes. Then every morning scatter the rocks when they came out to eat.

 

[fish fry]

Rob,
When you say they you have scattered rocks, and that they dig under rocks you are talkign about small little rumble size rocks right?
Is you substrate all Sand, with just a couple little rocks? No Crushed Coral?
And while we are on the subject any problems keeping them?
Thanks
Tom

 

[fishgod]

Hey, Jawfish are very cool and interesting. Though the idea of sectioning off the tank for them won't work, they aren't terribly friendly fish and they probably wont setup burrows right next to each other. Also There is no need for crushed coral, snad with some small bits of shells and small rocks would be good, they need substrates of varying sizes to support their burrows.

 

[car guy]

you can only put 1 jawfish in a 29 for territory reasons, and live sand works fine, make sure you have a deep substrate of at least 3-4 inches

 

[big dave]

I belive car guy is right. I have heard that jaws are somewhat territorial with each other. Maybe you have a pair JWT. Sectioning doesnt work because they just burrow where they want no where they should lol.

 

[von_rahvin]

when i mean dig under i mean the little guy dug out a 35 # hunk of live rock. it was one of my major supports and half of my reef tumbled. (oops) put your major rocks against the glass, make sure they are steady down there.
my substrate is 16 gallons of beach sand with 10 gallons of live sand . by now they are all mixed together. i do have lots of little bits of shells and rocks--like 1/2 inch pieces. and my jawfish like to use those to block the entrances at night. no crushed coral, and they survive just fine. beach sand has lots of larger shell fragments that might be equivalent to your pieces of crushed coral. i just like sand w/o CC because it makes my tank look like what i see on a reef when i dive.
problems . . they like to jump early on. I now have a fully covered and sealed tank, cause i like both firefish and jawfish, both of which are famous jumpers.