Yellowhead Jawfish
Opistognathus aurifrons
Saltwater Fish
Species Group: Jawfish
Family: Opistognathidae
Log in or create an account to add this species to your tanks.
Water parameters
Temp
76-80 F
Temperature
Maintaining a stable and appropriate temperature is critical for the survival of aquatic life.
pH 7.8 - 8.4 potential of HydrogenMeasuring the acidity or alkalinity of water on a 0–14 scale, where 7 is neutral, 7 is alkaline.
NO3 1-20 ppm NitrateWhile less toxic than ammonia, high nitrate levels (above 40–80 ppm) are important to monitor because they can cause fish stress, stunted growth, and harmful algae blooms.
NO2 <0.0001 ppm NitriteIt is a highly toxic, intermediate compound in the nitrogen cycle produced from broken-down ammonia
PO4 0.01 - 0.1 ppm PhosphateIt is essential for plant development but must be managed, as excess levels trigger nuisance algae blooms and inhibit coral calcification.
NH3 <0.1 ppm AmmoniaIt is the primary killer of aquarium fish, causing gill damage, stress, and death
Ca 380 - 450 ppm CalciumSupporting the growth, skeletal structure, and shell formation of corals, mollusks, crustaceans, and coralline algae
KH 8 - 12 dKH AlkalinityIt acts as a shield, neutralizing acids to prevent dangerous pH "crashes" that can harm fish, corals, and plants.
Mg 1200 - 1400 ppm MagnesiumIt enables coral growth by supporting skeletal formation, assists in metabolic processes, and ensures that calcium is available for corals, clams, and coralline algae.
SG 1.023 - 1.026 SG SalinityEssential for maintaining stable, natural water parameters, proper osmoregulation, and stress-free environments for marine fish and corals
ORP 250 - 400 mV Oxidation-Reduction PotentialA higher positive mV indicates clean, oxygen-rich water with high water quality, while low readings indicate high pollution.
About Yellowhead Jawfish
General information
The Yellowhead Jawfish has a yellow head and a light blue-green body. It inhabits the sandy, rubble-strewn areas on the reefs of the tropical Western Atlantic, and is found in close proximity to its burrow or cave. The Yellowhead Jawfish can attain a length of 5 inches in the wild, and up to 4 inches in an aquarium. The Yellowhead Jawfish is a cute fish with a great personality. They are playful and like to people watch. The Yellowhead Jawfish is moderately hardy. It tends to be shy and is best kept with other docile fish. It will not bother other tank inhabitants, but other burrowing fish may bully it. It needs to be kept on 5-7 inches of a fine soft substrate such as sand of various particle sizes. Known for being a jumper when startled or frightened, the tank should have a tight-fitting lid. This fish will spend much of its time in its burrow and when it does venture out, if it is startled, it will bolt back into its burrow tail first with lightning speed. As long as the tank is large enough, several can be kept in the same tank. Multiple specimens provide very interesting behavior as they dance up and down in the burrow. Supply various size rocks among the soft substrate to help reinforce the burrows against them; rockpiles are ideal.
All photos
Tap a photo to open the gallery viewer.