[bluespotjawfish]

More from Scotty (Post 357)...

Rubble is important to the BSJF as basic building blocks for the jawfish's burrow. They not only use them to fortify the opening, but as a liner of the burrow to keep the sand from caving into the burrow. I put a handful hear my Dotty and she used every piece. When I shine a flashlight into her burrow I can see them lining the walls. As for some of the previous posts, most if not all of it is anecdotal. I have been doing a review of the literature on the net and have found no research to indicate that this is a hard fish to keep if its basic needs are met. Here are some articles you may want to read that have some credibility:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...hcs3/index.php

Concerning jawfish disease.
Jawfishes
JawfishDisFAQs

The only one I found remotely mentioning BSJF disease.
Nano-Reef.com - Fish Information - Bluespot Jawfish

I also checked the Monterey Aquarium site and could find nothing, although I did find something elsewhere that said several years ago they were doing research on the BSJF. Then some Mexican researchers started doing research and got the Mexican government to ban their export so that they had exclusive rights to study them. To my knowledge the ban is no longer in effect, but I can not find any research.

As for water temperature, that's an interesting theory, but considering that other fish like the Long Nose Hawkfish and other common Hawkfish come from this same region, without water temperture issues, why would the BSJF? The Sea of Cortez (The Gulf of Califorinia) is the body of water flanked by the California Baja Penninsula to the west and the Mexican mainland to the east, which is where the BSJS is reported to originate. The water temperature in the Sea of Cortez ranges anywhere from 61 in the south where the Pacific meets the Gulf to 85 further north and towards the shoreline. Still looking for what, if any, effect water temperture has on this fishes metabolism.

One thing we know for sure is that they are jumpers. My "theory" is that their mysterious bruises, abrasions, and discolorations are from jumping and striking hard surfaces (ie, canopy tops, lights, egg crate etc). Another thing we know is that they are typically found residing on flat stretches of the ocean floor in large colonies and have a 360 degree view of their surroundings. They may feel uncomfortable in our tanks having a wall of rock blocking part of their view.