Flame Hawkfish: Thinking About Adding One to My Tank?

[shawnriv]

Hey Everyone,

My current setup is a Reefer 350 (73 gallon display - not including sump) and my fish stock is:

2 Snow Storm Clownfish
1 Yellow Tang
3 Lyretail Anthias
1 Royal Gramma

My most recent addition (about three weeks ago) was the Royal Gramma. He spends most of his day hovering around his cave due to their fish behavior but also because my larger Lyretail Anthias (looks to be transitioning to male) enjoys intimidating him.

The Flame Hawkfish is one of my favorite fish of all time and I would love to add one to my tank. I hesitate buying one because I worry it may become victim of the bully, Lyretail since Flame Hawks are quite active.

Would this fish be able to hold their own and ”reject” the bullying in my tank?

What does everyone think? Thanks!

 

[Timfish]

I wouldn't think you'll have problems.

 

[shawnriv]

I wouldn't think you'll have problems.

I would think so too, but this anthias can be a real pain the butt. I’ve also read flame hawks can be semi-aggressive which makes me think they would not be a timid fish. This anthias only picks on the royal but I think it’s because they’re already quite timid.

 

[vetteguy53081]

These are not to trust- I had one and Finally that little **$+)_ is gone. They will kill ALL shrimp and seem to have an issue with anthias fish not to mention how sneaky/greedy they are when it comes to food.
Same experience with others I know who have a flame, otherwise they are beautiful and I believe best for an aggressive fish type of setup

 

[shawnriv]

These are not to trust- I had one and Finally that little **$+)_ is gone. They will kill ALL shrimp and seem to have an issue with anthias fish not to mention how sneaky/greedy they are when it comes to food.
Same experience with others I know who have a flame, otherwise they are beautiful and I believe best for an aggressive fish type of setup

Wait, you’re saying the Hawkfish was the problem? I’ve read they can eat small ornament shrimp, but they also went after other fish? Were these other fish added after the flamehawk? I know some fish can be super territorial and do not welcome new fish to a tank easily.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wait, you’re saying the Hawkfish was the problem? I’ve read they can eat small ornament shrimp, but they also went after other fish? Were these other fish added after the flamehawk? I know some fish can be super territorial and do not welcome new fish to a tank easily.

A couple years ago my longnose hawk killed 3 anthias. Last year I had 8 anthias and within 5 days of getting the flame. 2anthias went down. Then I caught the bugger chasing the others at Feeding time.

 

[muggle0981]

Not a flame hawkfish fan

Mine was a little bugger to tank mates

 

[CrossXchaos]

Mine hangs out beside my small skunk cleaner all the time and when it tries to clean him he start hovering and giving him the evil eye actually pretty funny.

 

[rockdiver]

Mine was super chilled ! Just perched and watched didn't bother anything.
As of this morning it's missing lol
Assuming it just died since it was almost 2 years old and became crab snail worm food.
In any case never bothered anyone and was one of my first in.

 

[Uzidaisies]

Mine was super chilled ! Just perched and watched didn't bother anything.
As of this morning it's missing lol
Assuming it just died since it was almost 2 years old and became crab snail worm food.
In any case never bothered anyone and was one of my first in.

I don’t think that’s even close to the lifespan of a healthy hawkfish. If that’s what you’re implying.

 

[rockdiver]

I wasn't implying anything actually.

 

[Uzidaisies]

I wasn't implying anything actually.

Ok, it just sounded like you were implying that it died of old age, the way I read it.

 

[CrossXchaos]

I bought my flame with a male lyretail sameday the lyretail started a fight in qt first day and lost a chunk of his fin and never bothered him again. Unfortunately I had to rehome the lyretail for bullying other fish.

 

[ZoWhat]

I tried a Hawaiian Flamehawk once, never again.

They sit perched on a LR in the cat bird seat, if they don't like a fish swimming by, they'll kamikaze divebomb that fish hitting it T BONE style.

15 yards for illegal block in the back, killing your fish...

 

[G Santana]

I had a flame hawk many years ago and was one of my favorite fish in the tank. I never had any issues with him, but I never had Anthias or any chromis ever.
It may be that he sees smaller fish as adversaries that he can easily handle.
But again, I never had an issue, with that said I have held off on getting one again from all the horror stories I have heard since I came back to the hobby regarding hawks.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Have 1 in my 180. He was from another reffers tank. Model citizen, really scared of most others. I have 4 smaller percs and blue damsels he ignores. Never messes with blue legs or snails. My peppermint shrimp stay hidden. He was the last in the tank.

Doesn’t mean the one you get will be the same. They can be aggressive and are carnivores.

 

[Timfish]

I would think so too, but this anthias can be a real pain the butt. I’ve also read flame hawks can be semi-aggressive which makes me think they would not be a timid fish. This anthias only picks on the royal but I think it’s because they’re already quite timid.

I've got a pair of flames now in ine system that are 14+ and they've been model citizens. The one in this thread has outlived several coral banded shrimp but I wouldn't necessarily blame the death of shrimps that have cohabitated with the flame for years on the flame hawk. Biggest problem I've had is they do jump.

My experinces with Lyretail and Grammas has been good also. You didn't mention how much you feed and how often. I have seen the restrictive feeding regimens some advocate cause aggression issues across the board and now use autofeeders feeding multiple times a day, in some cases I'll use multiple autofeeders.

 

[blaxsun]

I’ve got a flame hawkfish and several chromis. He could care less about any of the other fish, actually. He’s more intent on finding a favorite perch from which to watch... and wait... Always watching...

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I have a long nose and a Falco in my 120 display. The Long Nose in my experience is a shrimp muncher and a attempted carpet surfer (I have lids now). The Long Nose literally stalked my last cleaner shrimp for days and bit him in half. Also killed a beautiful fire shrimp I had over 2 years, in two different tanks (they co existed previously). P.S. I still have the long nose, its a looker of a fish but no more shrimp.

The Falco, eh he can care less. He's too busy being chased around by my alage blenny. Never noticed him go after any crustaceans.

 

[Uzidaisies]

It’s only when they couldn’t care less that you can sleep soundly though.