Blue Spotted Jawfish (Opistognathus Rosenblatti)

Also Known As: Rosenblatt's Jawfish, Blue Dot Jawfish

Compatibility and Behavior
The Blue Spotted Jawfish (Opistognathus rosenblatti) is a genuine showstopper, and it saves its best for the evening. A warm golden-orange to yellow body is densely covered in brilliant, irregular electric-blue spots that fluoresce vividly under actinic and blue LED lighting, so the fish practically glows during a dusk viewing. It has the full comical jawfish package too: a big bulbous head, an oversized mouth built for hauling sand, and large, almost alien eyes set high to keep watch while it hovers above its burrow. It's generally reef safe, with one small asterisk, its constant digging can shift substrate around the base of corals or bottom-dwelling inverts, so plan your placement with that in mind. It can be territorial and even aggressive toward its own kind, so it's best kept singly, and if you do house more than one you'll want roughly three feet of separation between burrows. It coexists peacefully with calm community fish, but can get stressed and retreat into hiding if kept with boisterous tankmates that disturb its burrow-building.

Aquarium Requirements
Three things really matter with this fish, and the first is the lid. Blue Spotted Jawfish are notorious, persistent jumpers, especially when newly introduced or startled, so a tight-fitting, gap-free top is absolutely essential and non-negotiable. Second is the sand bed: it needs a deep bed of 4 inches or more, ideally mixed with crushed coral, shell fragments, and small rubble that it uses to reinforce and cap its burrow entrance. Third, and often overlooked: this species comes from the cooler waters of the Sea of Cortez, so it does best at the lower end of typical reef temperatures, and many keepers deliberately run their systems on the cooler side of the standard range for it. Beyond that, give it a tank of at least 30 gallons and feed enriched meaty foods like mysis, brine, cyclops, and finely chopped seafood two or three times a day, targeted near the burrow since it rarely strays far to eat.

Specifications
Approximate Size: 2-3"
Diet: Carnivore; frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and cyclops
Origin: Eastern Pacific, Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez)
Care Level: Moderate
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Special Considerations: A notorious, persistent jumper that must have a gap-free lid; requires a deep sand bed of 4+ inches, ideally with crushed coral and rubble for burrowing; prefers cooler water temps, reflecting its Sea of Cortez origin; can be territorial toward its own kind, so keep singly or allow about three feet between burrows