Fancying getting a Hawkfish. Any advice on them?

[Zionas]

Today I was looking at Hawkfish and I found them to be pretty cool. If I could get a Flame, a Coral, or Falco, heard I’ll be getting a little fish with a great personality.

From what I have read they are pretty interesting and hardy too, and that they can live for over ten years. I have read that they do pose a threat to small invertebrates so it’s pretty much a choice between a Hawkfish or a Yellow Watchman Goby for me (because both are bottom dwellers and I do plan to pair the Goby with a Pistol Shrimp if I get the YWG).

Do they have any special dietary requirements (are they picky eaters)? What do I feed them for optimal health? Are they very aggressive and do they jump a lot?


Which species would you recommend?


Their tank mates will be:

A pair of Ocellaris or Black and White Ocellaris clownfish

A Royal Gramma

Two to three Azure or Talbot’s Damselfish

A dwarf angel (species undecided)

A choice between the Hawkfish or the Yellow Watchman Goby

 

[Webslinger]

I have a longnose hawk fish. The only fish he bothers is my royal gramma. He eats pellets and frozen. Hasn’t touched any of my CUC

 

[Zionas]

Oh nice. Which species do you recommend? Will they frequently attack other fish?

Are they jumpers like wrasses, Gobies and Blennies?

 

[Webslinger]

Longnose or Flame they have a lot of personality. Not jumpers like wrasses.

 

[Dolelo96]

Flame Hawkfish is my favorite.. Ton’s of personality. I feed mine frozen and he’s never tried to jump. I wouldn’t consider him a bottom dweller. Mine is all over the place

 

[Zionas]

Here is my general plan for feeding carnivores:

Main diet-
1. Meaty pellets
2. Meaty flakes
3. Brine shrimp frozen
4. Mysis shrimp frozen
5. Freeze dried bloodworms
6. Small shrimp eggs
7. Freeze dried plankton / pods

Supplementary diet-
1. Frozen fish (small) from seafood market
2. Frozen small shrimp from seafood market
3. Chopped clams and mussels from seafood market



Occasional (only if I can find)
1. Live mysis shrimp
2. Live brine shrimp

 

[Mikedawg]

 

[Zionas]

dang. Love them. Just worried about them eating my other fish. How long do these guys live? Can I even keep a pair?

 

[trido]

Longnose or Flame they have a lot of personality. Not jumpers like wrasses.

I've had two flame hawks jump... They can and will jump.

 

[Zionas]

What about the other species of hawks? Did you have an open top?

 

[trido]

In my 210 I currently have a long nosed and a flame hawk. Over the course of 15 years, I've had 2 flame hawks jump. Now I have mesh covers. They are both good tank mates and dont harrass my shrimp or cleaner crew that I know of. The long nosed hawk will bully new additions a little bit, but not nearly as bad as the dominant wrasse or tang.

 

[Zionas]

Awesome. What do you feed them? Are they picky eaters?

+1 on the mesh top. I’ll be sure to get one. I heard 1/4 ones are the best, but maybe I’ll try to look for one without any gaps. Would that severely affect lighting and oxygen though?

 

[Reefer45C]

I have a Falco Hawkfish, the kids named him Hawkie and he has a load of personality... super cool fish... he doesnt bother fish unless hes bothered... sometimes during nighttime my yellow tang doesnt like him near where she sleeps... only other thing is trying to add more cuc... you cant add them when he's around he'll try to go after them... other than that he's a great addition to the aquarium.

 

[trido]

Awesome. What do you feed them? Are they picky eaters?

+1 on the mesh top. I’ll be sure to get one. I heard 1/4 ones are the best, but maybe I’ll try to look for one without any gaps. Would that severely affect lighting and oxygen though?

The mesh tops do not interfere with lighting or gas exhange. On my 210 I have three sections making it easier to access only one section and for feeding. 1/4" is the most popular for sure. They'll eat anything.

 

[Silverfish]

I assume you do not want any decorator shrimp? My hawk fish ate two in the first day I got him. I thought they were to big for him to eat.

 

[Zionas]

Well, that’s a hard one. I was thinking of getting some decorator shrimp and a Tiger Pistol to pair with my YWG should I decide to go for that, but now I realize it’s pretty much a choice between the shrimp and YWG or the hawk. Hard one.

 

[krash7172]

I have never seen my Flame Hawk bother any other critters and I have 3 shrimp. He will eat any food I put in the tank. Super cool and easy to care for. I like guests' reactions when I point him out. They always ask what he's doing. I say, "He's watching you." Lol

 

[Silverfish]

I guess my flame hawk was special . I had to watch him swim for a full day with a shrimp whisker waving fm his mouth.
This comes down to risk vs reward. We all hv been there. Sometimes you win sometimes your new Pakistani butterfly starts eating all of your coral!

 

[Webslinger]

They are shrimp eaters. I wouldn't even consider one if you want shrimp in the tank.

 

[Zionas]

It’s been confirmed there won’t be a shrimp or a goby in this tank, because I really want not only a Flame Hawkfish, but I’m also getting a Marine Betta and a Blue Throat Trigger.

What would be a good time to add the Flame Hawk? I’m thinking of introducing it before my Foxface or with it.