Flame Hawkfish & Inverts...?

[Inushnu]

I just got a Flame Hawkfish and was told by my LFS owner that it would be fine in my FOWLR 55g tank. I did research on it beforehand and so I got it but THEN I did a bunch MORE research and started to find that this particular fish may eat my hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp.

Right now the crabs and shrimp are fine and I'm keeping the Flame well-fed but I'm worried. I like my little inverts and want to get more.

Who has experience with this fish? Should I move him to my 25g FO (no inverts) tank? He's REALLY active all over the 55 and it pains me to think that I may have to put him in a smaller tank but, ugh again, I love invertebrates!

Any ideas, suggestions, knowledge, etc on this fish/issue would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[adtravels]

I have had a few, all brilliant fish, and never touched any of my inverts but always look a bit shifty as if they could if they wanted, I have seen some great pics of flames with cleaner shrimp antenne hanging out of their mouths ( i.e just consumed one whole), You will get the same responses

"mine has never touched any of my inverts"
"mine ate all my hermits and a cleaner shrimp"

I guess time is a factor, the longer you keep a flame with hermits and shrimps, the chances are you will see a predation

[lightdir]

My flame hawk and my cleaner shrimp hang out together. But I have a retarded fish he loves pellets and not the krill I try to feed him. Also my cleaner shrimp is bigger than my flame hawk.

[scatty25]

Every fish is different. Just remember that all of the data on fish is only generals to what most of them act like.

[Chooch1]

The shrimp and crabs have a better chance if they were in the aquarium first. Flame hawks tend to regard them less as food if they were in before the flame hawk. However, you may find that adding any shrimp after the hawk is established is difficult. It also depends on the size of the flame hawk and its individual tendencies. IME, smaller flame hawks are much less of a threat to cleaner shrimp and crabs.

[FishAreFriends2]

does this apply to all hawk fishes?

[thor32766]

my flame hawk hasnt touched anything so far in my tank.

[snorvich]

In general, hawk fish WILL eat shrimp. You may find one or two as an exception in the short run.

[Capt_Cully]

l always like to bust this out on hawkfish threads. That WAS a cleaner shrimp about twice his length!

[adtravels]

That was the picture I was refering to

[Capt_Cully]

Aside from another $10 peppermint lunch, he hasn't touched any other inverts. I love the fish. It's well worth the 2 shrimp it's taken out.

[snorvich]

Yes, they are neat fish and they always seem to watch us. They always know when we are going to feed the tank. Other than eating shrimp, they are great fish.

[Inushnu]

Great picture! I'm crossing my fingers that won't be my cleaner shrimps fate! Lucky for me (I hope), the shrimp and crabs were in before but I can't find my camel shrimp so.... hmmm..... I'll wait to move him as I like the little "shifty" hawk and want him to be as happy (i.e. big tank) as possible.

Thanks for all the imput! I'm new and love reading the threads, it has helped me to feel less ignorant with this hobby as I want to stay with it and do so enjoy all my finned friends!

[momolicious]

"ur kleener shrimp tried to kleen me but then i ated it"

[cardiffgiant]

What, you've never seen them clean the inside of the stomach?

[FishAreFriends2]

thats a very interesting pic, hawk fish seems pretty amusing to watch, not alot of fish actually perch on rocks.

[snorvich]

All of the hawkfish are ambush predators. Almost all ambush predators perch on rocks or corals.