Bold color, big personality, and zero drama in the tank. That is the Flame Hawkfish in a nutshell. This is one of the most popular fish in the saltwater hobby for very good reasons. It is stunning, hardy, and it brings a level of personality to a tank that most fish simply cannot match. Dr. Reef has healthy, quarantined Flame Hawkfish ready for your aquarium.
The Flame Hawkfish, known scientifically as Neocirrhitus armatus, is a small marine fish native to the Indo-Pacific. It is named for its vivid red and orange coloration, broken up by a black lattice pattern across its body and a dramatic black stripe behind its eyes. It grows to about three to four inches in length and has a sturdy, compact body built for its favorite activity: perching.
Hawkfish are perching predators. In the wild, they sit motionless on the top of coral branches and rocky outcroppings, scanning the area below for small prey. They wait, they watch, and then they dart down with incredible speed to grab whatever has wandered too close. In an aquarium, this behavior is endlessly entertaining. Your Flame Hawkfish will claim a favorite perch and spend most of its day sitting there, watching the tank with bright, curious eyes.
The Flame Hawkfish is a hardy fish that adapts well to aquarium life. A tank of 30 gallons or more is suitable for a single specimen. It does not need a massive amount of space because it spends most of its time perched rather than actively swimming. What it does need is plenty of rockwork and structure to perch on. The more interesting the aquascape, the happier the Hawkfish.
Water parameters should be kept at standard marine levels. Temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit, salinity at 1.025, and pH between 8.1 and 8.4 are all ideal. The Flame Hawkfish is not particularly sensitive to water conditions compared to many marine fish, making it a solid choice for reef keepers who are still developing their water management routine.
One important note: the Flame Hawkfish does not have a swim bladder. It relies entirely on its pectoral fins to position itself and always sinks to the nearest surface when it stops moving. This means it needs plenty of perching options throughout the tank, at different heights and positions.
The Flame Hawkfish is a carnivore with a healthy appetite. In the wild, it feeds on small crustaceans, zooplankton, and tiny fish. In an aquarium, it readily accepts a wide variety of meaty frozen foods. Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and high-quality carnivore pellets all make excellent options.
Feed your Flame Hawkfish once or twice daily in small amounts. It is an eager, enthusiastic feeder that will quickly learn to recognize you at feeding time and may even swim toward the front of the tank in anticipation. That kind of interactive feeding behavior is one of the reasons so many reefers fall in love with this fish.
The Flame Hawkfish is generally a peaceful community fish with one important caveat. It is a predator of small crustaceans. Any small shrimp species, including popular reef inhabitants like Cleaner Shrimp, Peppermint Shrimp, and Fire Shrimp, are at significant risk in a tank with a Flame Hawkfish. Larger decorative shrimp may survive, but smaller species almost certainly will not.
The Flame Hawkfish is safe with most reef fish of similar or larger size. It can be slightly territorial with other Hawkfish species, so keeping two Flame Hawkfish together requires a larger tank with plenty of defined territory for each fish.
It is generally considered reef safe with corals and most sessile invertebrates. The main concern is mobile crustaceans, which should be kept out of a tank with this fish unless you are prepared to accept the risk.
Dr. Reef quarantines every Flame Hawkfish before listing it for sale. Each fish is observed daily, offered food, and confirmed eating before it ships. You receive a fish that has already adjusted to aquarium feeding and is in excellent health. That is the Dr. Reef’s Quarantined Fish standard, and it makes a real difference in how quickly your new fish settles into your tank.
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