Haven't seen Pearly Jawfish?

So I got this jawfish for my 10 gal nano and he was looking healthy. He dug his little burrow and I haven't seen him in almost a week, let alone seen him eat. He didn't jump because the tank is covered and I've checked the floor around the tank. Ive put food(live brine shrimp) right in the entrance to his burrow. Do you think that he's still alive? I'd hate to lose this little guy so fast.

 

They can be quite secretive at first but it should eventually make an appearance unless it is dead.I would not go moving rocks looking for it as this will only add stress and prolong its acclimation.Are there any other inhabitants?You say the tank is covered but with what?Jawfish can get through the smallest of holes.

 

The tank is covered in a fitted screen top, the only opening is just big enough for the filter. I have a pair of peppermint shrimp, pair of clownfish, and a turbo snap in there with him.

 

Check the filter.:-/

 

I did but he's not in there either. Is it possible that he just dug his burrow and is going to sit in there and die?

 

Just be patient and wait.

 

ugh ok, i must have faith in that little guy

 

They can also sense vibrations from you walking around and he may be coming out and foraging for food and hiding back in his hole well before you can make it to the entrance of the room. So it could also be that unless you've been silently sitting away from the tank in there for hours.

 

Ok so its been two weeks and I couldn't take it anymore. I lifted the rock that the jawfish dug under and he was dead. He'd been dead for a while too because the body basically disintegrated when I went to remove it. I did a partial water change just in case I had disturb some pocket of bad water under the rock.

But my bigger question is what could I have done to avoid this? Did the jawfish just sit and there and starve himself to death? I would love to try again with a jawfish but I don't want to just kill another one.

 

To small of tank dude...The clowns will dominate anything you put in there. IMO.