The Yellowheaded Jawfish is somewhat of a shy creature, elusive of divers, and especially photographers. But sometimes, if you hang out long enough…you can catch a glimpse of these remarkable tiny creatures. The males actually store the eggs of the young inside of their mouth. On occasion, you can see a pair of Jawfish and see the eggs protruding out, larger than life. That is, if you can get calm and close enough without scaring them back into their holes.
On a very low current day off Roatan, Honduras, I had the opportunity to watch these little critters during a deco stop, and catch their behavior on the video. These did not have eggs, but I had seen others on this dive that did. In the video, you can gain perspective as to the size of the fish as they compare to the background.
Despite the distance these fish travel, I am always amazed at how they still can make it back to their exact hole. They travel sideways, backwards, using their tail to “feel” around. Within seconds, they can be gone from your sight. The way the fish position themselves somewhat horizontally makes them appear like dancers, gliding along the ballroom floor, effortlessly.
