Blue-spotted jawfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue-spotted jawfish |
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| A blue-spotted jawfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Family: | Opistognathidae |
| Genus: | Opistognathus |
| Species: |
O. rosenblatti
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| Binomial name | |
| Opistognathus rosenblatti G. R. Allen & D. R. Robertson, 1991
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The blue-spotted jawfish (Opistognathus rosenblatti) is a colorful fish found in the Gulf of California. These amazing fish live in large groups on coral reefs about 12 meters (40 feet) deep. At night, they hide in their burrows, sealing the entrance completely. Each morning, they rebuild their front door! Blue-spotted jawfish can grow up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. You might even spot them in aquariums.
Scientists Gerald Allen and David R. Robertson first discovered the blue-spotted jawfish in 1991. These fish belong to a group called Actinopterygii, which includes most ray-finned fish.
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What Do They Look Like?
Blue-spotted jawfish are super eye-catching! They have bright electric-blue spots all over their yellow or orange bodies. Their top fin, called the dorsal fin, is also a pretty yellow. They have big eyes that help them see well.
Male jawfish often have a stark white color on the front half of their bodies. Females and males not looking for a mate are usually dark brown with larger blue spots. Younger jawfish are a uniform yellow with blue spots.
How Do Jawfish Live?
Jawfish get their name from their large mouths. They use their big mouths to catch food, like tiny animals. They also use their mouths to dig their homes! They scoop up big mouthfuls of sand and spit it out to create their cozy hideaways.
While some jawfish eat worms or crabs, blue-spotted jawfish prefer very small creatures. They feed on tiny animals that live on the seafloor (benthic invertebrates) and those that float in the water (planktonic invertebrates). They are very social and live together in large groups.
Where Do They Live?
Blue-spotted jawfish are quite friendly with other jawfish of their own kind. They usually aren't aggressive, unless someone tries to enter their burrow! They live in cooler, deeper parts of the ocean, in sandy areas and near reefs.
They form colonies with hundreds of fish. Each fish keeps a little space, about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet), between its burrow and its neighbors. Just like building their entrance in the morning, they cover their burrow opening when the sun goes down. Unlike some other jawfish, the blue-spotted jawfish only spends time outside its burrow during the warm summer months.
Keeping Jawfish Healthy
Like all animals, blue-spotted jawfish can sometimes get sick. One common issue is called Brooklynellosis. If a jawfish gets this, you might notice its skin peeling or losing color. It might also stop eating. If you see these signs, it's important to get help quickly. Luckily, this illness can often be treated in a special quarantine tank using certain medicines.
Another problem, sometimes called "Blue spot jawfish disease," is usually caused by how the fish is handled or its environment. This can happen if the fish is handled roughly, if its tank has rough sand, or if it's kept on bare glass. Keeping the water too warm (above 21°C or 70°F) can also make them sick. Providing a good home with soft sand and the right water temperature helps keep them healthy.
How They Have Babies
Jawfish are special because the males are "mouth brooders." This means the male jawfish holds the eggs in his mouth until they hatch! He incubates the eggs for about 5 to 7 days.
During the summer, male jawfish try to attract females. They become bright white and dash up to 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 meters) above their burrows to show off. If a female is interested, she might join the male in his burrow for a few minutes before returning to her own.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The specific name of this fish, rosenblatti, honors Richard H. Rosenblatt. He was a famous fish scientist who studied many fish from the eastern Pacific Ocean.
