Amazing Flame Hawkfish survival story and question

[scirdan]

Well, i now have 2 Flame Hawkfish in my aquarium.. The reason why is truly unbelievable..

I had a flame hawkfish for long time, happy and healthy, and back in June, it disappeared, no trace, no body, it didn't jump out, nothing.. I figured it died and crabs and scavengers ate the body back under the rocks, so I purchased another one, and it was doing great for the last 6 weeks.. Yesterday I decided to clean my protein skimmer , and while doing so, i saw my flame hawkfish inside the filter.. Apparently the fish swam through the skimmer overflow pipe into the skimmer and couldnt find its way out, luckily it didn't jump out of the top. Thinking it was the replacement fish , perhaps in there for a couple of hours, i rescued it and put it back in the tank. A few minutes later i discovered 2 hawkfish, and i realized that 1st hawkfish somehow swam into the skimmer in June and was living inside it for 6 weeks! I know hawkfish are hardy but thats crazy, i guess it found enough food in there to survive! I am absolutely amazed this fish is still alive!!

My tank is 60G and I have lots of rock, will there be a huge issue with the 2 hawkfish being together? They seem to be getting along okay since yesterday, but thats just 24 hours.. I have a friend who offered to let me rehome if it doesn't work out, what are the odds?

Other inhabitants include 2 clowns, a banggai cardinal, 6 line wrasse, filefish, a bar goby, and eibli angel..

 

[blaxsun]

So it was in the skimmer collection cup, or in the main area beside the pump inside the body?

 

[scirdan]

So it was in the skimmer collection cup, or in the main area beside the pump inside the body?

Not the collection cup, no, thats tiny and has green water in it, it was in the main area, maybe 1G of water in there.. it swam in and must've "jumped up" through the exit pipe (i think). i can only assume the pump was sucking in enough food for it to eat to stay alive for 6 weeks.. its fine now though!

 

[blaxsun]

That's... impressive! Are the two flame hawks getting along?

 

[scirdan]

That's... impressive! Are the two flame hawks getting along?

So far, though its only entering the 3rd day, i am going to observe for a few weeks and see if theres any issues. Luckily i have a friend who will take one if theres any issue, but i am hoping there is no issue, I love watching hawkfish, so interesting, and 2 is double the fun!

 

[JumboShrimp]

Incredible story!

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Fish can be full of surprises. I do not have hawkfish, but I had 2 firefish who also disappeared in early May around the time I cleaned my aquarium. After a few weeks, I thought they were dead, maybe shocked by the clean up. I then went away for 1 month in July and still no firefish anywhere, and no one saw them. Then at the end of August, I cleaned the tank again, and shorly after that, as I was feeding my pajama cardinals they reappeared, Both of them, and started eating the way they used too. I had not seen them for close to 3 months! That tank is only 40G tank, and only has these 4 fish. I am trying to grow macro algae in it, so keeps only small carnivorous fish in it.

 

[scirdan]

Fish can be full of surprises. I do not have hawkfish, but I had 2 firefish who also disappeared in early May around the time I cleaned my aquarium. After a few weeks, I thought they were dead, maybe shocked by the clean up. I then went away for 1 month in July and still no firefish anywhere, and no one saw them. Then at the end of August, I cleaned the tank again, and shorly after that, as I was feeding my pajama cardinals they reappeared, Both of them, and started eating the way they used too. I had not seen them for close to 3 months! That tank is only 40G tank, and only has these 4 fish. I am trying to grow macro algae in it, so keeps only small carnivorous fish in it.

I wonder where they were!

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Hawkfish are a trip. I've kept two different types in one tank but never two of the same type. Hope it works out!

 

[lonepalm99]

That is amazing. I really like flame hawks but somehow recently i have lost two. Thinking my 8” grouper got them. First one was in there for a month the second lasted a day.

 

[TCoach]

I have 2 Falco Hawkfish in my 92. I consider them to be a bonded pair. Picked them up from Petco during one of their 25% off marine sales. I had been watching them in the store for many weeks where they shared the same tank. They are rarely out of eye sight of each other and a blast to watch!