Your Guide to Buying and Adding a Flame Hawkfish to Your Tank

The Flame Hawkfish, with its striking fiery red appearance and unique behaviour, can be a captivating addition to a marine aquarium. This little predator adds personality to the tank, but it's essential to understand its care and habits before making the commitment.

Choosing the Right Flame Hawkfish

When selecting a Flame Hawkfish:

• Opt for individuals that exhibit vibrant colours and active behaviour.
• Ensure the fish is free from signs of disease, such as erratic swimming or skin lesions.

Physical Appearance

Key characteristics:

• Boasting a bright red body, the Flame Hawkfish typically has a black band behind its eye and dark markings on its dorsal fin.
• They have large, prominent eyes and can grow up to 4 inches in length.

Compatibility with Other Fish

Compatibility factors:

• Flame Hawkfish can be territorial and might display aggressive behaviour, especially towards smaller tankmates.
• It's best to house them with larger or equally aggressive fish to ensure a harmonious environment.

Reef Safe

Considerations for reef tanks:

• While they do not harm corals, Flame Hawkfish may prey on smaller shrimp, snails, and other invertebrates.
• Careful consideration is needed when adding them to a reef environment to protect its smaller inhabitants.

Suitable Tank Size

Recommendations for housing:

• A minimum tank size of 100 litres is advised for a single Flame Hawkfish.
• They enjoy perching on rocks and ledges, so provide plenty of rock formations for them to explore and claim.

Water Conditions

Ideal water parameters:

• Temperature: 23-26°C
• pH levels: 8.1-8.4.
• Specific gravity: 1.020-1.025.

Preparing Your Tank

Setup guidance:

• Offer a variety of rocky caves and hiding spots, as Flame Hawkfish enjoy observing their surroundings from a secure location.
• They do not dig or disturb the substrate, so your layout will generally remain undisturbed.

Monitoring Behaviour

Behavioural insights:

• They tend to perch and move around less than typical swimmers but will dart out quickly to capture food.
• Monitor their interaction with smaller tank inhabitants to prevent possible aggressive encounters.

Feeding Schedule

Nutritional guidance:

• Carnivorous in nature, Flame Hawkfish thrive on a diet of meaty foods such as mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and other marine-sourced proteins.
• Feed them once or twice daily, ensuring they consume the food entirely.

The Flame Hawkfish's vibrant coloration and unique perching behavior make it an attractive choice for marine aquarists. With the right environment and care, it can be a long-lived and charismatic resident of your aquarium.