I'm considering getting a jawfish and I'd love some input. Got a few questions:
- Can a jawfish thrive in a 10 US gallon tank?
- What's the lowest SG they can handle?
If they can tolerate 1.005-1.010, I might put them in my new tank I'm planning.
- What's the best food for them?
- How deep does the substrate need to be?
- Are there any special requirements, like extra filtration?
- What types of jawfish are there?
- How big do they get?
- Will they eat inverts?
- What's the approximate cost?
No need to answer all of them - just 1 or 2 would be great, thanks.
keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
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waterworlds - Posts: 24
- Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2023 9:15 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
I'll try to answer most of your questions, and I hope I don't miss any - feel free to ask more if you need to. I'm not trying to discourage you from this nano project, but I want to make sure you're aware of the challenges involved.
The common jawfish you'll find in most LFS are spotted or pearly jawfish, and they tend to grow pretty big - probably not ideal for a 10-gallon tank. There are some jawfish that can thrive in nano tanks, but they're not very common and can be quite pricey, sometimes in the $100 range.
One of the main issues with jawfish is their substrate requirements - they need a specific type and depth to build burrows. A mix of 2 parts sand and 1 part fine crushed coral gravel, spread out at a depth of about 4 inches, works best. However, in a smaller tank like a 10-gallon, this deep sand bed takes up a lot of space, leaving little water volume, which can make it harder to maintain stability.
Jawfish can be finicky eaters, and most people have to start them on live foods like brine shrimp before transitioning to frozen foods. On the plus side, most jawfish are reef-safe, so they won't bother crabs or corals. However, they can be quite skittish and only come out at night, so you won't see them often.
They also require full-on saltwater conditions, so they won't tolerate lower salinity levels. I know this might sound negative, but I want to make sure you're aware of the special care they need. Most people don't keep jawfish for this reason.
If I had to suggest an alternative for your 10-gallon tank, I'd recommend a goby - they look similar to jawfish but don't require a deep sand bed. Many species, like neon or clown gobies, stay small and are easy to feed. They're also reef-safe and more forgiving of water standards. You can even keep shrimp with them, which can be a great addition to a nano tank.
If you're interested, I encourage you to research gobies that are suitable for nano tanks - you'll find plenty of cool options. Good luck with your project, and I hope you'll consider these suggestions.
The common jawfish you'll find in most LFS are spotted or pearly jawfish, and they tend to grow pretty big - probably not ideal for a 10-gallon tank. There are some jawfish that can thrive in nano tanks, but they're not very common and can be quite pricey, sometimes in the $100 range.
One of the main issues with jawfish is their substrate requirements - they need a specific type and depth to build burrows. A mix of 2 parts sand and 1 part fine crushed coral gravel, spread out at a depth of about 4 inches, works best. However, in a smaller tank like a 10-gallon, this deep sand bed takes up a lot of space, leaving little water volume, which can make it harder to maintain stability.
Jawfish can be finicky eaters, and most people have to start them on live foods like brine shrimp before transitioning to frozen foods. On the plus side, most jawfish are reef-safe, so they won't bother crabs or corals. However, they can be quite skittish and only come out at night, so you won't see them often.
They also require full-on saltwater conditions, so they won't tolerate lower salinity levels. I know this might sound negative, but I want to make sure you're aware of the special care they need. Most people don't keep jawfish for this reason.
If I had to suggest an alternative for your 10-gallon tank, I'd recommend a goby - they look similar to jawfish but don't require a deep sand bed. Many species, like neon or clown gobies, stay small and are easy to feed. They're also reef-safe and more forgiving of water standards. You can even keep shrimp with them, which can be a great addition to a nano tank.
If you're interested, I encourage you to research gobies that are suitable for nano tanks - you'll find plenty of cool options. Good luck with your project, and I hope you'll consider these suggestions.
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Coryd - Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2022 9:59 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
Thanks for the info and the quick response. I really appreciate it. I'm still interested in getting a jawfish, so I was wondering if you know where I could find the smaller, less common ones that might do okay in a nano tank.
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waterworlds - Posts: 24
- Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2023 9:15 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
The yellow headed jawfish is probably your best bet for something smaller, but even that's still a bit too big for a 10 gallon tank. I'd really recommend bumping up to a 20 gallon long if you're set on getting one of these guys - it's still not ideal, but it's better than a 10 gallon.
Honestly, unless you're dead set on a jawfish, I'd say look into something a bit more low-maintenance for that 10 gallon. They're just not the most forgiving fish.
But if you do end up with a jawfish, make sure you've got a solid lid on that tank - they're notorious jumpers and will squeeze through any gap they can find. I've heard of people losing them this way, and it's just not worth the risk.
You can try checking out Live Aquaria for yellow headed jawfish, or ask your local fish store if they can order one for you. They might have some connections or be able to track one down for you.
Honestly, unless you're dead set on a jawfish, I'd say look into something a bit more low-maintenance for that 10 gallon. They're just not the most forgiving fish.
But if you do end up with a jawfish, make sure you've got a solid lid on that tank - they're notorious jumpers and will squeeze through any gap they can find. I've heard of people losing them this way, and it's just not worth the risk.
You can try checking out Live Aquaria for yellow headed jawfish, or ask your local fish store if they can order one for you. They might have some connections or be able to track one down for you.
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angelwras - Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:05 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
If you're sticking with the 10, I'd agree with going for a goby. Now, what specific type of jawfish were you thinking of getting, just out of curiosity?
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Coryd - Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2022 9:59 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
I think a yellow headed jawfish would still be a bit of a stretch in a 10 gallon, but if you're looking for something smaller, that's probably your best bet. However, I'd still recommend a 20 gallon long over a 10 gallon, even a 20 gallon high might be a bit cramped for them, but it's doable.
As for me, I'd say if you're dead set on a jawfish, go for it, but if not, something like a goby would be a much easier and more forgiving choice for a 10 gallon.
As for me, I'd say if you're dead set on a jawfish, go for it, but if not, something like a goby would be a much easier and more forgiving choice for a 10 gallon.
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waterworlds - Posts: 24
- Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2023 9:15 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
You could put a jawfish in a 20 gallon high tank, but remember, it's all about the real estate on the bottom - the more floor space, the happier your jawfish will be. Since they spend most of their time digging at the bottom, the extra height doesn't really provide them much added benefit.
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angelwras - Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:05 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
20g should work out okay. Yellow-heads are pretty adorable, I think. Like I said, waterworlds knows way more about this stuff than I do, so take my opinion for what it's worth.
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Coryd - Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2022 9:59 am
Re: keeping jawfish in a 10 gallon tank
I'm thinking I'll probably go with a 20 gallon high if I end up getting a jawfish. I'll have to wait a bit though since I haven't even started on my mudskipper tank yet, which is my priority. It'll probably be at least 6 months before I start on this one. If I do a 20 gallon high, would it be big enough for a small beginner-friendly conch or two? If so, what would you suggest?