Care
The beautiful Blue Spotted Jawfish is native to the sandy bays of the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez), at depths between 9-27m (30-90ft). The waters in this area are somewhat colder than the waters where most popular tropical marine fish are collected, and this must be taken into account if planning to keep this species in the home aquarium; a means of chilling the water will certainly be necessary throughout the warmer months. Blue Spotted Jawfish make a fascinating addition to mature reef aquaria, providing that a few key requirements (including the aforementioned low water temperature) are met. These industrious bottom dwellers 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 resting just inside the entrance, seemingly watching the world go by and waiting for food morsels to drift past overhead. At other times it will be busy rearranging things in and around its little tunnel, which can be very entertaining to observe. 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. Blue Spotted Jawfish may be kept in small groups if you have a vast set-up; 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 90cm to one another). Ideally all will be introduced at the same time to eliminate any territorial issues. If the aquarium is on the smaller side, it really is better to keep a single specimen or a known mated pair (although bear in mind the tank must have floor space of at least 3ft x 2ft to keep just one of these fish comfortably, 5ft+ for more than one specimen). Tankmates, if desired, should be small and docile and enjoy the same coolwater conditions. This species may also be seen on sale as Rosenblatt's Jawfish. To sum up: the Blue Spotted Jawfish is a very interesting and attractive fish, and will do very well in the home aquarium if provided with the right environment; however, it cannot be emphasised enough that they are temperate and not tropical. Kept in warm water conditions long-term, they will not be able to live out a full, comfortable natural lifespan. A chiller will be indispensable in keeping the water at a sufficiently low temperature.
Feeding
In the wild, this species feeds mainly on zooplankton. Offer a varied diet of small meaty frozen foods such as plankton, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis, 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. An attached fishless refugium would also be very beneficial in providing an ongoing source of tiny natural foodstuffs.
Breeding
Aquarium spawning reports are few and far between. During courtship, which, in the wild is reported to take place during the summer months, the male fish takes on a bright white colouration to the anterior half of the body, whilst he flits about a few feet above his burrow in the hopes of attracting a female. If successful, the female will join the male in his burrow and several hundred orange eggs will be deposited. These fish are paternal mouthbrooders, meaning that the male fish incubates the eggs.
