Hey guys. Although my tank is still cycling, Im looking ahead to my stock options for it. Its a standard 29 gallon tank, 30” long and 18” from top to bottom. I recently came across a Red Hawkfish at my LFS and fell in love with it. Im looking to build a stock around this guy plus a pair of clownfish. Outside of these 3 guys, would I have room for a cardinal fish or two (not sure of their compatibility together. My original plan was for a goby/shrimp pair instead of either the cardinal(s) or the hawkfish, but I like both so much that I was hoping I could keep both with the goby/shrimp pair being a backup. Thoughts? The tank will house soft corals in the future, and will have a few 525 GPH powerheads, as well as a HOB refugium.
29 Gallon Stocking!
- Thread starter Dycofree
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Michael Allen
Community Member
They can be jumpers, hoping you still have the lid to prevent that from happening. Minimum tank size for the Hawk is 30-40 gallons.
Flame Hawkfish need multiple ledges and caves to duck and weave around. After inspecting the tank fully the hawkfish will select two territories. One ledge to watch the tank from and their cave. During the day the flame will often rest upon its ledge, watching the tank and those outside. From here they will eat any passing food or attack prey. Once they sense danger or quick movement the hawk will often dash back into it's cave and wait until things are safe. This is the trait that most owners love as the hawkfish will actually interact with their owners, much more than other fish who only beg for food.
Hawkfish has a medium temper, as with Clowns. keep that in mind when choosing your live stock. I would add a more docile fish that you want first, to claim its territory before the bullies get there.
Flame Hawkfish need multiple ledges and caves to duck and weave around. After inspecting the tank fully the hawkfish will select two territories. One ledge to watch the tank from and their cave. During the day the flame will often rest upon its ledge, watching the tank and those outside. From here they will eat any passing food or attack prey. Once they sense danger or quick movement the hawk will often dash back into it's cave and wait until things are safe. This is the trait that most owners love as the hawkfish will actually interact with their owners, much more than other fish who only beg for food.
Hawkfish has a medium temper, as with Clowns. keep that in mind when choosing your live stock. I would add a more docile fish that you want first, to claim its territory before the bullies get there.
Yes, I do still have my lid! With the tank size being 30-40, would I be pushing it? Darn. I fell in love with the little guy I came across. I was planning on setting up two island type rock formations in the tank to allow for water flow between the areas. I would make one taller than the other, which I would assume would be where the Hawkfish would choose as its ledge. I would also be making a sort of cave/indentation into each formation, which would also be perfect for the it I see. I also read that they enjoy resting on rock and coral, and with the open space my tank will have because of the formations, that would aid him I would believe. I read 20 gallons somewhere for them, which im assuming is a classic case of understating real size requirements in order to sell more. If I did get one, would it be suitable to be houses with 2 clowns and a cardinal? It would free up much of the bottom for it to have to itself without having the goby/shrimp
Edit: I did some more reading and think id be pushing/may experience aggression issues eventually. I think I’ll pass on him. Any other ideas for something with personality like this that would work for me?
Michael Allen
Community Member
If you can find a manderan gobie that is eating frozen shrimp, they are awesome and colorful. i would start building a pod population even if he is eating frozen to help keep him happy (if you decide to get one). Im no expert, you might still be fine with the Hawk, clowns are kind of aggressive as they are still in the damsel family. Start with smaller fish and let them grow together and you might have better luck/chance at success.
