Flame Hawkfish from DD

[THS]

I just ordered the Flame Hawkfish froom Diver's Den on LA. I was THIS close to ordering the pair, but decided against it.

I think these are the coolest little guys, so funny looking with their big eyes.:bounce2:

Can anybody share their experiences with these fish? Tips? Things to look out for?

Thanks!

[rssjsb]

They're great fish. They're also pretty hardy and eat just about anything, so you shouldn't have any problems.

About the only downside is that they will eat shrimp. They may ignore shrimp that are in the tank when they go in, but as they grow, the chances of your shrimp becoming dinner will increase.

[BigOldReef]

Everything that RSSJB Said.

Great fish, Great Personality. Always out front and watching what's going on. Shrimp decimation is an issue.

[MuffsAbby]

My flame is by far my favorite fish! He always comes to the front to watch me whenever I'm close to the tank. He stays out in the open, perched on whatever he can find. I never have any trouble finding him in the tank. He's not aggressive with the other fish, but will put them in their place if/when he has to. Boy can he MOVE if he feels threatened...from one end of my 150g to the other quicker than I can blink. As if he were shot from a cannon. I was shocked the first time I saw him do that. I hope I never have to catch him...I wouldn't stand a chance.

The downside: You'll regret not getting the pair!

[erinangele]

I love mine too! Great personality, fun to watch! Mine has never gone after my shrimp (cleaner and peppermint).

My only problem- today I moved mine from one tank to the other and my starry blenny attacked him :-( This is more of a problem with the blenny though. I'm hoping the attacks stop or my starry blenny is going! Love my flame hawk!

[guppie]

I ordered a pair from DD about 4years ago, they are great fish like was said eats everything, they are alway hanging together.

[THS]

Thanks guys, he should be here in a couple of hours!

I don't have any shrimp atm, so not too worried about that. Only other tankmates are a pair of clowns and a damsel.

[THS]

Thanks guys, he should be here in a couple of hours!

I don't have any shrimp atm, so not too worried about that. Only other tankmates are a pair of clowns and a damsel.

[THS]

Well that was an experience. Had him in a 1 gal bucket, drip-acclimating. When I went to grab him he jumped out of the bucket and behind the stand, where I couldn't reach him at all. I had to use a lacrosse stick to gently slide him to the opposite side where I could grab him. He is in QT now, in the dark. Put some stress coat in there with him.

[AndyH5512]

I had one 5-6 years ago in my open top 120. Really cool fish. One day, it decided to jump into the overflow of the 120. I wanted to add a shrimp, so when I removed the flame hawk from the overflow, I moved it to a smaller tank with a cover. It somehow escaped from the covered tank and went tile surfing. It was one of my favorite fish. I will get a pair one of these days.

[MrTuskfish]

These are great fish, my pair is a favorite. Everyone notices the Flames and the fish notice back. Just a heads up; a pair of clownfish is very territorial and can easily claim all the area in a tank as theirs; making life miserable for any newcomer. When you move the hawk to the DT, you might want to put the clowns in the QT for several days. This messes up their territorial issues. The smaller the tank, the more likely the problem. Even the most docile clowns will viciously defend territory when mated.
BTW, the Stresscoat was a good move, you can't overdose the stuff. Damage to the slimecoat, leading to infection, is a concern when fish hit the floor. Watch closely for signs of infection.