Description:
The Blue Dot Jawfish is from the Gulf of California. This species isn’t as common in the reef hobby due to the limited location that they can be found. Blue Dot Jawfish have dark brownish yellow bodies with bright blue spots. The blue spots are not perfectly round, but do appear on the entire length of the fish. Mature males will signal their reproductive readiness by turning the posterior part of their bodies white. Like most jawfish, the Blue Spot has a comical, bulbous head and large mouth. A Blue Dot Jawfish can reach up to 4 inches in length and requires an aquarium of at least 30 gallons with a soft, fine substrate of at least 4 inches in depth for burrowing vertically. A deep sand bed is not a recommendation, it is a requirement for this species.
Diet:
The Blue Dot Jawfish is a carnivore. When not hiding out in its burrow, this fish will float above the burrow and scout around for food. If aggressive fish are present, this could cause your jawfish to not feel comfortable enough to leave the burrow. That said, Blue Spotted Jawfish are best kept in a peaceful aquarium. They will accept pellet foods sometimes, but for good nutrition, they need small meaty meals like Mysis shrimp, copepods, and/or prepared or frozen offerings of crustacean or fish flesh.
Behavior:
As stated earlier, a Blue Dot Jawfish can reach up to 3.5 inches and requires an aquarium of at least 30 gallons with a good 4 inch or deeper substrate for burrowing - the deeper, the better. These fish will dig into the soft substrate and use shells, small rocks, coral skeleton, or other small pieces of hard debris to construct their burrow. Most aquarists will add supplemental “building materials” to their tank while the burrow is under construction. If an adequate burrow cannot be built, your fish will be very stressed out. They care a lot about their burrow and will often become aggressive with other fish who come too close to their home. At night, they will tuck themselves in and cover the entrance to their burrow. Keep an eye on where your Blue Spotted Jawfish makes its burrow and take care when cleaning or maintaining your tank so as not to destroy their home. Blue Spotted Jawfish can be aggressive to other jawfish - especially when it comes to the same species. It is best to only keep one specimen of this fish, as males will kill each other. Fish that swim into burrows, such as a large number of gobies, should not be included in the same tank as the jawfish. The Blue Dot Jawfish will aggressively defend its home from any intruders. While they will not typically hurt the other fish, this will cause both of them stress. The jawfish will also spit sand at fish who come too close to its den. It is possible to keep a pair if they are a mated pair. If you intend to keep fish, a netted lid is recommended.