Jawfishes

These fishes belong in the "Order Perciformes" and "Suborder Percoidei" as members of the "Family Opistognathidae" (Jawfishes) consisting of 3 genera, and 100+ species.

Probably not what many would consider a reef aquarium fish because of its need for a deep substrate. Yet, they are peaceful and will do well in an invertebrate tank when provided a pebble-like substrate for their vertical burrows. They are carnivorous/plankton feeders, and mouthbrooders. You could not go wrong with an environment filled with various, easy to maintain soft coral/mushroom disc anemones, a deep pebble-like substrate, possibly located in some shallow wide-mouth jars, and few of these fascinating and intelligent fishes. Do not mix more than one species in the same aquarium:

Opistognathus

  • O. aurifrons Yellowhead / Pearly Jawfish
  • O. jacksoniensis Smiler Jawfish
  • O. macrognathus Banded Jawfish
  • O. rosenblatti Bluespotted Jawfish
  • O. whitehurstii Dusky Jawfish


    Anemonefishes - Angelfishes - Anthias - Assessors - Bannerfish - Basslets (Dottybacks and Grammas) - Batfishes - Blennies - Boxfishes - Butterflyfishes - Cardinalfishes - Catfishes - Cuttlefish - Damselfishes - Dartfishes - Dragonets - Drums - Eels - Filefishes - Flashlight fishes - Flatheads - Frogfishes - Goatfishes - Gobies - Groupers - Hamlets - Hawkfishes - Helmut Gurnards - Jacks - Jawfishes - Lion fishes - Livebearing Brotula - Lizardfishes - Mollies - Moorish Idol - Parrotfishes - Pinecone fishes - Pipefishes - Porcupine fishes - Pufferfishes - Rabbitfishes - Rays - Sand Perches - Scats - Scorpionfishes - Sea Basses - Seahorses - Sea Moths - Sharks - Shrimpfishes - Snappers - Soldierfishes - Spinecheeks - Squirrelfishes - Surgeonfishes (Tangs) - Sweetlips - Tilefishes - Triggerfishes - Trumpetfishes - Wrasses - Oddballs


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