The Hawkfish Lover Thread!

[eatbreakfast]

Considering getting a couple of flame hawks, but wondering about the not reef safe bit, when it says they eat Inverts what are we talking about? I have loads of hermits, turbos, conches, cleaner shrimps and peppermints that keep aiptasia at bay, some of these are pretty big as well. Are they going to have a banquet or do you think I’d be ok?

Small shrimp like sexy shrimp? Can they pick the legs off hermit crabs? You would think if that was possible few people would be able to keep hermits.

For the most part, if inverts are in the tank before the flame hawks they are left alone. In fact, most of the flame hawks I have kept ignored shrimp, but I have seen established flames go after small peppermints when the shrimp were added after.

I've never had them bother hermits or snails, ever.

 

[Flameback Pair]

Considering getting a couple of flame hawks, but wondering about the not reef safe bit, when it says they eat Inverts what are we talking about? I have loads of hermits, turbos, conches, cleaner shrimps and peppermints that keep aiptasia at bay, some of these are pretty big as well. Are they going to have a banquet or do you think I’d be ok?

Personally I'd give up, "anything that walks" if I was going to do a bunch of hawkfish.

 

[Mortie31]

2 very different views on Hawkfish from @powers2001 and @eatbreakfast, I can fully see things like sexy shrimp and small peps being eaten, i guess it comes down to experience and individual fish, I remember 10 years ago angels were never kept with SPS... now we all keep them..

 

[norfolkgarden]

If it was in the tank before the hawk fish was added it is less likely to be on the menu.

If it is added after the hawk fish it is far more likely to be a tasty treat.

We have never had issues with hermit crabs or snails but we don't keep peppermint shrimp.

The extra large cleaner shrimp and the extra large blood red fire shrimp are fine with our small flame hawkfish and our small longnose hawkfish.
But I've never tried to confuse them with sexy shrimp or peppermint shrimp. [emoji846]

 

[Barrett]

I’ve had my flame hawk for 2 yrs now and never had a problem with any snails or hermit crabs. He doesn’t bother the small emerald crabs I added recently either. Here are some pictures of Trevor.

 

[mort]

Some of how safe hawks are with shrimp and cuc is luck, some individual personality, some how often you feed and some stimulation. Predators are normally smarter than other fish, it's why the are top dog, and they can get bored. Sometimes you see hawkfish swimming little laps of the tank for quite some time or developing behaviours that they wouldn't in the wild. A example of this I saw with my flame hawk who would irritate my female clown. The hawk would perch in front of her and display waiting for her to chase it away, it then proceeded to swim off round the tank and come back to the exact spot and do it again and again. I've also witnessed them picking up small hermits, swimming off with them and then dropping them down the back of the rockwork. When the hermits come back they did the same thing again.
So its been suggested that eating shrimp can be due to boredom as cleaner shrimp aren't normally eaten in the wild. That isn't to say it's not just an opportunistic thing, they could be cleaning up after a bad molt or the shrimp might have died naturally. At the end of the day I've had no problems with cleaner or blood shrimp and flame and long nosed hawks for quite some time, sometimes a year or two, but eventually the shrimp dissappear whether naturally or with some help.

 

[Mortie31]

Thank u for the replies I will be getting one

 

[Reefbuds]

I

@wallace what are you using for a powerhead now? Tell me a little about your tank. Can you post a list of your livestock here?

I'm running an icecap 1k and a 600gph powerhead on opposite side. 55g.

 

[Flameback Pair]

Dear Moderator: Please make this thread stickied in the Fish Forum. Thank You !!!!

 

[Fudsey]

Dear Moderator: Please make this thread stickied in the Fish Forum. Thank You !!!!

#mods

 

[Reefbuds]

I’ve had my flame hawk for 2 yrs now and never had a problem with any snails or hermit crabs. He doesn’t bother the small emerald crabs I added recently either. Here are some pictures of Trevor.

Nice!!

 

[Reefbuds]

Some of how safe hawks are with shrimp and cuc is luck, some individual personality, some how often you feed and some stimulation. Predators are normally smarter than other fish, it's why the are top dog, and they can get bored. Sometimes you see hawkfish swimming little laps of the tank for quite some time or developing behaviours that they wouldn't in the wild. A example of this I saw with my flame hawk who would irritate my female clown. The hawk would perch in front of her and display waiting for her to chase it away, it then proceeded to swim off round the tank and come back to the exact spot and do it again and again. I've also witnessed them picking up small hermits, swimming off with them and then dropping them down the back of the rockwork. When the hermits come back they did the same thing again.
So its been suggested that eating shrimp can be due to boredom as cleaner shrimp aren't normally eaten in the wild. That isn't to say it's not just an opportunistic thing, they could be cleaning up after a bad molt or the shrimp might have died naturally. At the end of the day I've had no problems with cleaner or blood shrimp and flame and long nosed hawks for quite some time, sometimes a year or two, but eventually the shrimp dissappear whether naturally or with some help.

Great info and thoughts, thank you!
It seems hawkfish may be smarter than most people think. Personally I can see them working things out when I look them in the eye.

 

[Reefbuds]

^^

 

[Muttley000]

Picked up a Falco Hawk this weekend and he is currently in isolation with a couple other pickups. What great personality! I will have hawkfish in some of my other tanks for sure!

 

[Reefbuds]

Picked up a Falco Hawk this weekend and he is currently in isolation with a couple other pickups. What great personality! I will have hawkfish in some of my other tanks for sure!

Great looking falco!

 

[nicodim55]

I have an Arc eye hawk that loves to perch on the Kenya tree. Sorry for the duplicate pictures.

 

[Reefbuds]

I have an Arc eye hawk that loves to perch on the Kenya tree. Sorry for the duplicate pictures.

Sick. I use to have a clown goby would perch in my Kenya. I had some great pics but are now gone :( he reminded me much of a hawkfish actually. Kenya's are a much underrated coral imo. Picture perfect vision of a soft coral, especially with a beautiful hawk nestled in.

 

[Reefbuds]

Bump, skip and a hop. See if we cant get this going again. Still have my flame hawk, a little over 2 years now.

 

[Reefbuds]

Here's a good question for somebody. Since my flame hawks partner died years ago I've been wanting to get him paired up with a nice young Sheila. Any experience or tips with pairing up hawkish?

 

[Fudsey]