Flame hawk fish or cleaner shrimp

[runninlow]

So the great debate that is going through my mind right now... keeping my cleaner shrimp or getting a flame hawk fish that ive always wanted.

I know first hand this flame hawk is a shrimp killer. Ive seen it kill a peppermint shrimp and not even eat it.

Ive had my cleaner shrimp for about 2 years now and does a great job in the tank.

smh of course the cleaner shrimp is a better choice, but i think a flame hawk would do very nicely in my tank.

 

[SoloChromis]

Maybe go with a hi fin perchlet/geometric pygmy hawk? Reef safe "hawk-ish" option :beer:

 

[TangingOut]

I added a flame hawk with an estimated cleaner shrimp about 1 year ago and both are still going strong. Flame hawk never even looks at the cleaner, which was and still is bigger than him. Newly added peppermint shrimps on the other hand are fair game though.

 

[brett559]

I'd choose a fish over an invert any day. I love my flame hawk.

 

[Reef Frog]

A full grown skunk or scarlet cleaner can be twice the size of a peppermint, so that may make a difference. I imagine getting a juvenile FH, keeping it well fed and letting it grow up along side the shrimp may increase your odds of success.

It seems some fish recognize cleaner shrimp & leave them alone. I remember being amazed watching cleaner shrimp doing their thing INSIDE the open mouth & gills of an enormous grouper in the Cayman Islands.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Get your Flame Hawk and hope for the best for the shrimp. But since you already have the shrimp you should be ok. I would certainly get a small Hawk fish.

 

[Reef Frog]

Maybe go with a hi fin perchlet/geometric pygmy hawk? Reef safe "hawk-ish" option :beer:

I have one of these. Awesome little fish. Ideal for the smaller tank where a perching fish is wanted. It has the moving eyeballs of a real hawk. It spends a fair amount of time out of site but still comes out front on a regular basis, but isn't what I would describe as cryptic.

Anybody ever keep one with a full sized Flame Hawkfish? I want a FH but always feared the similar but smaller body shape might put the little guy on the lunch menu eventually. But the Geometric is highly observant and a fast little booger, that can dash away into small crevices that s full sized FHF could never fit.

I wonder if these two fish would get along together in a larger tank, say a 5 or 6 footer? Thoughts? any first hand experience(s)?

 

[BlackTip]

Cleaners shrimp are fun to watch. My two shrimps are always up to something. Cleaning, annoying, praying food out of the Belny's mouth. And they seem to never sleep. Day or night for them, they are always active.

 

[runninlow]

well i went and got a flame hawk last night...sadly it was on the medium size. right now it is qaurantine so we shall see how this goes. i may get another cleaner shrimp just so that i can have 2 big ones in the tank.
once i introduce the Hawk and they disappear then i guess i wasnt meant for cleaner shrimps.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Save your money right now and don't get the second shrimp, wait to see how the hawkfish reacts to the one you have

 

[runninlow]

thanks Dkuhlmann ill take that advise.

 

[Silly clownfish]

How big is the hawk wrt the cleaner? I've had my FH for 16 yrs, so he is definitely full grown. When i decided I really wanted a shrimp about 9 years ago, I got a coral banded shrimp that was already bigger than the hawk. Never had a problem between them.

Now hermit crabs - those are snacks. The hawk just waits for them to change shells and I have a slow attrition. Emerald crabs tend to last pretty long in my tanks And I think the ones I have lost were due to them eating all of the hair algae in the tank and running out of food, but I am not sure.

 

[runninlow]

the Flame hawk is about 1.5 inchs. the cleaner shrimp is about 2 inches (eyeballing)..i have tons of zebra hermit crabs in the tank as well and those guys are murders so i really dont mind if they dissappear.

 

[GOSKN5]

I went through this debate and decided on the flame hawk... what an awesome fish.. always moving, insane bright red with some orange... and just curious silly looking fish... I might throw a shrimp in there and see what happens if I can catch one on sale.. but regardless the FH is really a great fish