Jawfish, Blue Dot (Opistognathus Rosenblatti)

Care Level : Moderate

Temperament : Semi-aggressive

Color : Blue, Orange

Diet : Carnivore

Reef Compatible : Yes

Water Conditions : sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4

Max. Size : 4"

Origin : Eastern Pacific

Family : Opistognathidae

Minimum Tank Size : 30 gallons

The Jawfish, Blue Dot (Opistognathus Rosenblatti), also known as the Bluespotted Jawfish, was first discovered in the tropical Eastern Pacific.

This lively fish boasts bright, flamboyant coloration in contrasting shades of yellows, oranges, and blues with iridescent, irregular-shaped blue spots decorating the entire length of the head and body. The Jawfish has a narrow, long body that allows them to back into their burrow and use their rather large eyes to protect their territory and be on the lookout for food. This little guy has an adult size of 4" and are a great addition to smaller aquariums.

The ideal setup for the Blue Dot Jawfish is an established 30 gallon or larger aquarium with plenty of live rock and a layer of fine to moderately sized sand substrate to sift through. Be sure to secure your aquascape in your aquarium as the Jawfish moves sand and rubble about it may shift the structure of your live rock.  Ample horizontal living space and a substrate layer of at least 2" in depth is necessary for this burrowing fish. You’ll want a powerful filtration system to prevent ammonia and nitrates from getting too high. In addition, a tight-fitting canopy is necessary to prevent the Blue Dot Jawfish from jumping out of the aquarium.

It will rarely become aggressive towards other fish, but is territorial and will fight with its own kind unless they are a mated pair. Jawfish have no problem sharing space with corals. They use broken coral branches in their burrows, but they don’t actively go after the corals.

The diet of the Blue Dot Jawfish should consist of a variety of marine fish, crustacean flesh, and mysid shrimp. It should be fed at least three times per day.