Flame Hawkfish or Longnose Hawkfish?
 

I'm trying to decide on which hawkfish to put in my 90 gallon reef. I have a cleaner shrimp and a mix of different snails and inverts. I know that there is a threat w/ the shrimp but which one would be safer? I also plan on adding a blood shrimp in the future.

longnose may be a bit safer, but flame looks so much nicer :rollface:

i have a pair of longnose hawk in my 90 and i love them.

Flame all the way!

Yes, I agree about the flame. But NEITHER are safer.

Very true. I added my reply without the 'safe' aspect being considered. Give me a flame hawk over shrimp anyday:D

You may have better results putting the blood shrimp in first. My flame hawk ignored all the shrimp that were in the tank before it, but thought it was feeding time when I tried to add more. I guess you could also try adding the shrimp at night if possible.

If i do get a hawkfish i will add the blood shrimp first. I had one before but he mysteriously dissapeared.

What's the "probablity" of the flame hawk eating my shrimp?

I had a small longnose hawk with a large blood shrimp in a 20g and never had a problem, your experience may differ though as it's always a risk

How about hawks picking on scarlet hermits and snails?

Yea that's why I was thinking before hand that the longnose was safer, but i just wanted to see what everyone else had to say.

I unfortunately added a Flame Hawkfish to my 150g reef years ago. He proceeded to kill four Green Chromis, one Canary Blenny, one watchman Goby and two Firefish over four days before I was able to remove him. He wasn't in the aquarium for five minutes before the first Firefish was dead. Most expensive fish I've ever owned!!! I replaced him with a longnose and all was well for several years before I broke down the setup.

I'm not a hawkfish person, but I find the longnose much more aesthetically pleasing.

Agreed with Chibils..
Always been to afraid the hawks would eat my shrimp :(

Thanks guys. if I decide to get a hawkfish, then I think I know which one I would get now.

ive had a longnose in with shrimp for several years now, never any interest shown in them by it.

Thanks for all the replies. Defintely looks like I would choose a longnose now. The cleaner shrimmp draws a lot of attention to the tank so I wouldn't want to see him eaten.

My cleaner is one of my favorite things in the tank! I recently got him a mate (a third of his size!) and they cavort around the tank together doing the little "shrimp dance!"

LoL. Everytime I put my hand in the tank to move something or clean the glass he jumps on my hand, and I always freak out because he catches me by suprise.

i don't know, my shrimp are pretty annoying, and unfortuneately, all 3 of them are still alive, my flame hawk hasn't touched a single one of my chromis, 2 cleaners, 1 blood, and 20+ clean up crew.. he just waits for me to feed him

It would probably be better to sell the shrimp if you don't like them then to hope that a fish will eat them.

I don't have personal experience with either, but after seeing both for the first time in person, I prefer the longnose. Before, I would have preferred the Flame.

To me, the Longnose just contrasts most other fish so well, but in a really good way.

how do you think a flame hawk did all that? :rolleyes:

I absolutely love my Flame Hawk, he's so cute when he scuttles around the rock tops searching for prey.


Flame Hawk FTW, can't get a comical experience out of a longnose.

+I love the googly eyes.