 The tilefish 's construction and expansion of burrows are the subject of ongoing research to better understand the behavior of the species . It is unknown if the tilefish begins the construction a burrow or if it expands an existing one . The burrow is presumed to be lengthened and widened by the tilefish as it continues to grow and age . Tilefish typically are found in their own burrows , with sharing have been exhibited with male and female pairs . Tilefish tend to congregate in their habitat , with their burrows in relative proximity to each other , the species does not form schools . The grouping of tilefish can be as dense as 13 @,@ 000 burrows per square kilometer off the southern U.S. Atlantic coast , but 1 @,@ 600 burrows per square kilometer were reported in inhabited areas of the Gulf of Mexico and 2 @,@ 500 burrows per square kilometer near the Hudson Canyon . Tilefish burrows also provide a home for various different species that live in the area , such as mollusks and other crustaceans . 
