Yellowhead Jawfish – Opistognathus Aurifrons
Species name: Opistognathus Aurifrons
Common names: Yellowhead Jawfish, Pearly jawfish
Family: Opistognathidae (Jawfishes)
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 4 in.
Minimum tank size: 30 gallon
Hardiness: Easy to Medium
Aggressiveness: Normally peaceful. They do well with peaceful marine fish. Multiple Yellowhead Jawfish can be housed in the same tank if there is enough room for each ( one cubic foot each should be good). They defend their territories by opening their mouths very wide as a warning to other fish. Multiple specimens provide very interesting behavior.
Reef Compatibility: Excellent. May nip at and eat small crustaceans like small ornamental shrimps.
Diet: Meaty food. It is a zooplanktivore. Diet should include krill, raw table shrimp, squid, clam and mussel.
Additional information:
What a nice looking fish with it’s yellow head and light blue-green body! In the wild, the Yellowhead Jawfish live in the Bahamas, Caribbean and Western Atlantic at depth of 10 to 120 feet where it move sand from the substrate and dig a burrowing hole to live within. It likes to hang vertically above or in a hole with only its heads poking out. It has been noted to spawn in captivity. Occasionally captive jawfish are seen with eggs in they’re mouth, but most won’t hatch.
The ideal aquarium will have a pH of 8.1 to 8.4 with a temperature between 75°F and 82°F (25°C – 28°C), specific gravity at 1.020 to 1.025 and a dKH of 8 to 12°. Plenty of rock and a deep sandy substrate (at least 4 to 6 inches) is important, as this species likes to dig. The base of the sand bed can be a various grades of aragonite, mixed with crushed coral and other small reef rubble to build it’s cave. The cave will continually collapse if there is only sand. Live rock should be resting on the bottom of the tank, otherwise it could potentially cause a rockfall. It’s a jumper, so keep the tank covered as best as possible. Less likely to jump from tanks with a good sand bed.
Do you have experience with Opistognathus Aurifrons?
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wow, in that main photo, that fish looked like it was standing! *simply amazed =)
Yes it’s a great looking fish with cool behavior. I am now thinking that I should add a sand bed to my tank just to keep a couple of those.
Give them a few shells and it well get even more entertaining. I drop them in one at a time to watch my jawfish arrange then were he wants them.
Cool I’ll try that. I am getting one of those later next month. I can’t wait!
120 gallon aquarium…
Your topic Scubaology — Blog Archive ” Fish and Flush Aquarium was interesting when I found it on Wednesday searching for 120 gallon aquarium…