Can Confirm RE: Do Hawk Fish eat Your Shrimp...

[Roatan Reef]

So:

Had a nice Cleaner Shrimp for 3 months.

Bought a Falco Hawk 2 months ago.

Hawk never bothered Shrimp, didn't try to do anything ever, basically didn't even know he existed. My Shrimp has molted 3 times already.

I feed a variety of mixed Frozen, Pellets and TDO Chroma Boost twice a day...Livestock is 3 Clownfish, 1 Midas Blenniy, 1 Hawk, had 1 Cleaner Shrimp, 6 emerald Crabs and about 14 different snails in a 40G Breeder Mixed Reef.

Went to a wedding last night, stayed over night, drove home this morning.

Fed fish in the AM around 10:00 or so....thought about feeding again before we left at 3:30, but did not.

Came home at 1:30 next day..Cleaner Shrimp is Gone(he just molted again 2 days ago) so I'm sure he was a nice soft snack for the Hawk. Hawk is fat and big belly now.

Only a few tentacles and a few small pieces of flesh flailing in the power heads is all I saw.


I knew and researched it all before, some have had this issue, others have not, but as a general precaution, I always made sure the Hawk ate plenty of food.

But good Lord...he misses 1 evening meal and devours my Cleaner Shrimp!

What greedy Fat *******!!

 

[blaxsun]

My flame hawkfish has been great so far (fingers crossed).

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yup. Had a Long Nose hawkfish chomp a fire shrimp in two. I still have a little ptsd over it. It was the most vicious thing I've seen in aquaria. The hawkfish stalked the shrimp for a few days and it was over quick.

I've watched freshwater betta destroy tetras, acanthurus tangs fight to the death, and had the freakish pleasure to watch a electric eel hunt and kill its prey. Watching a docile looking fish snap a crustacean in two was more insane than all of the other things I've posted up.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Yup. Had a Long Nose hawkfish chomp a fire shrimp in two. I still have a little ptsd over it. It was the most vicious thing I've seen in aquaria. The hawkfish stalked the shrimp for a few days and it was over quick.

I've watched freshwater betta destroy tetras, acanthurus tangs fight to the death, and had the freakish pleasure to watch a electric eel hunt and kill its prey. Watching a docile looking fish snap a crustacean in two was more insane than all of the other things I've posted up.

Yes, at least I didn't see it, I've heard gruesome stories about how hawk fish destroy Shrimp...so at least there's that!

 

[Roatan Reef]

My flame hawkfish has been great so far (fingers crossed).

How long have you had it??

 

[polyppal]

They are sneaky little b@$*)#’s

I’m sure my golden hawk ate my beloved scampi when the lights were out. Very similar story to yours

R.I.P. Scampi :(

My BR Fire Shrimp disappeared without a trace about a week ago, and still no sign of him. Was hoping he was molting in the Rockwork somewhere, but pulled the Rockwork to add a ledge this weekend and nothing. No note - no anything... Id guess he was eaten, although he was a large shrimp and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[goldfish423]

My flame hawk hasn’t eaten any of my sexy shrimp.
been in a tank together a year now.
Well fed.
No other place for him or else I’d move him.
Upgrading tanks this winter.
Shrimps will stay she (Susan) will move on.

 

[i cant think]

Usually shrimp after shedding will need to harden their exoskeleton again which is when they’re at their most vulnerable. Such a shame your hawk took advantage of that though.

 

[Waters]

Are you sure he is gone and you just aren't seeing remains from a molt? I have thought my shrimp was a goner many times when it just turned out to be the molt that was shredded by fish.

 

[i cant think]

Are you sure he is gone and you just aren't seeing remains from a molt? I have thought my shrimp was a goner many times when it just turned out to be the molt that was shredded by fish.

+1 to this, I’ve thought my anemone was eating my shrimp several times but it’s always been sheds except one time.

 

[SamsReef]

Hawkfish, unlike some of the wrasses don’t play around or scare shrimps till they are ready to eat and when they are. It’s game over…I used to love these family because of their goofy nature but they are off my reef safe fish.

If you are missing shrimps and have a hawkfish, you have found the culprit.

Sam

 

[Roatan Reef]

+1 to this, I’ve thought my anemone was eating my shrimp several times but it’s always been sheds except one time.

Absolutely Sure! He molted a few times already and would always hang underneath a rock structure until he was ready to come out.

He Gone! I've searched high and low.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yes, at least I didn't see it, I've heard gruesome stories about how hawk fish destroy Shrimp...so at least there's that!

I just about had a heart attack when I saw it. I noticed the hawkfish was suddenly perching near the fire shrimp all day, for a few weeks at that point. Shrimp was in the tank maybe a month at the time. One morning Im chillin with coffee in hand and *bang*, hawkfish swooped in and it was over just that quick. My long nose hawk is on the larger side at about 4"-4.5" or so and has been with me for 4-5 years or so at this point.

Photos are just over a year ago when they co habitated. 120g was new and they were in a 50g cube previously

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Hawkfish, unlike some of the wrasses don’t play around or scare shrimps till they are ready to eat and when they are. It’s game over…I used to love these family because of their goofy nature but they are off my reef safe fish.

If you are missing shrimps and have a hawkfish, you have found the culprit.

Sam

I think my pencil wrasse destroyed my peppermint shrimp I recently bought to go after aiptasia, lol. I dumped 3 in and they ran like hell after the pencil saw them. They have been mia for over a week now. Thus I'm thinking expensive snack. On to the aiptasia x!

 

[blaxsun]

How long have you had it??

Almost 2 years.

 

[Eyedogtor]

So:

Had a nice Cleaner Shrimp for 3 months.

Bought a Falco Hawk 2 months ago.

Hawk never bothered Shrimp, didn't try to do anything ever, basically didn't even know he existed. My Shrimp has molted 3 times already.

I feed a variety of mixed Frozen, Pellets and TDO Chroma Boost twice a day...Livestock is 3 Clownfish, 1 Midas Blenniy, 1 Hawk, had 1 Cleaner Shrimp, 6 emerald Crabs and about 14 different snails in a 40G Breeder Mixed Reef.

Went to a wedding last night, stayed over night, drove home this morning.

Fed fish in the AM around 10:00 or so....thought about feeding again before we left at 3:30, but did not.

Came home at 1:30 next day..Cleaner Shrimp is Gone(he just molted again 2 days ago) so I'm sure he was a nice soft snack for the Hawk. Hawk is fat and big belly now.

Only a few tentacles and a few small pieces of flesh flailing in the power heads is all I saw.


I knew and researched it all before, some have had this issue, others have not, but as a general precaution, I always made sure the Hawk ate plenty of food.

But good Lord...he misses 1 evening meal and devours my Cleaner Shrimp!

What greedy Fat *******!!

Sorry for the loss! I had the same experiences with Hawks and inverts.... Just unpredictable...

 

[Roatan Reef]

Sorry for the loss! I had the same experiences with Hawks and inverts.... Just unpredictable...

But, my Hawk is a cool fish...still have him to this day...very active, knows when it's feeding time and is quite a character. Sad at losing Shrimp, but he's a great fish with lots of character.